"Well, really, Sarah," said Dick, "I do think you have spoken rather too unkindly to your father. Surely if he chooses to marry again so soon it is his own business. Of course, I perfectly understand your feelings, but you must not forget that he is still your father, and you should never forget to show respect to him. You did not show the Christian spirit I hoped to see, and you have certainly done no good by losing your temper."
Sarah had been feeling very sad and angry during Dick's little lecture, and as she still considered herself quite in the right, she would not confess even to Dick that she had behaved hastily.
"Well," said Sarah, "you needn't begin to scold me; you won't have me much longer to scold, and I do think father ought to have told me first."
Now, Dick saw quite well that it was no use arguing with her when she was in this mood, so when they arrived at Lady James's house he bade her rather a cold farewell, and promised to come and see her for the last time on Sunday, before he went to Scotland.
Sarah went straight up to her room, and throwing herself on her bed wept bitterly. She felt very lonely, and, now that even Dick was vexed with her, she began to think that her behaviour was not all it should have been. She knew she had quite lost her temper and behaved badly, and although we may say she had some excuse, it is always a silly thing to do. Nobody will respect a person who gives way to their evil passions, and Sarah felt that for the time being she had estranged her father and Dick and greatly lowered herself in their opinion. She fell on her knees and begged God with might and main to forgive her, and rose in a few minutes feeling calmer and happier.
The servants' supper-bell had rung, but Sarah did not feel inclined to talk and laugh with the others, so she stayed where she was and occupied herself with her thoughts, which were anything but happy ones. The next day was very wet and gloomy and quite in accordance with Sarah's feelings, as the more she thought over the previous day's events the angrier she felt with herself, knowing that, after all, it did not much matter to her if her father were married, as she was always in service, and hoped soon to be married herself.
She also could not help remembering how, in spite of herself, she had been struck by Mrs. Carrol's much softened voice and manner, and she really began to think that, after all, it might be for the best.
The days dragged slowly on, till at last Sunday arrived, and Sarah had decided to make her peace with Dick, not liking him to go on his journey feeling unhappy about her. Six o'clock was the hour he generally came, and she rushed upstairs to see that her hair was tidy, and had taken the opportunity of pinning some geraniums into her dress, which had been sent downstairs from the drawing-room to be thrown away. Seven o'clock came, but did not bring Dick, and Sarah was tortured with melancholy thoughts as to whether he had decided he would not see her till she had made her peace with her father. At last she was obliged to give up all idea of his coming, as it was now ten o'clock, and very miserable were her feelings when she crept into bed and sobbed herself to sleep.
At the end of the week Sarah, who generally distributed the servants' letters, was much surprised at finding one for herself.
Now, everybody likes to receive letters from their friends, and for Sarah, who had never had many, the excitement was great; in fact, she quite forgot all about her father's sudden marriage and Dick's departure, as well as the week's misery, and, getting into a corner by herself, she opened the letter and began to read, and this is what she read—