I think I said "Yes," quite low.
Then another question came, which I had been dreading all along—
"Kitty, did Mr. Russell say anything of that sort to you too?"
I didn't know what to say, for I dared not tell a lie.
"Did he ever ask you to marry him?" mother said; and I knew she was drawing a long breath up and up, as if she felt a weight somewhere.
"No, mother," I said, for he had not.
"No! But he has said soft words, maybe. Soft words don't cost much, Kitty, nor they don't always mean much."
I couldn't speak. Mother came close, and I held her tight, and she sighed again, though she wasn't given to sighing commonly.
"Well, it can't be helped now," she said. "I might have had more sense at my time of life. I do wish I'd been sharper. Kitty, if you're a wise girl you won't let yourself spend time thinking about Mr. Russell's soft speeches, nor Rupert's hard ones. I don't doubt Rupert's gone off in a temper, and I shouldn't wonder if he didn't come back for some days—a week or more, maybe. That's bad for his mother! You'll get the credit of his going, and you'd best take it quiet. Least said 'll be soonest mended in the end."
If I had but thought of that the evening before, and not spoken the hasty words which drove Rupert away! Poor foolish boy!