“I will ask thy father again but I shall take no roundabout way. Straightforrard is the best. And I am above a bit astonished at thee, a Yorkshire lass, thinking of any crooked road to what thou wants! If tha can’t get thy way openly and fairly make up thy mind any other way isn’t worth while, for it will be full of ups and downs, and lonely bits, and stony bits, and all sorts and kinds of botherations. Keep these words in thy mind.”
“I will.”
“Then I’ll ask thy father again, to take thee with him to London—if he goes himsen—if he does not go at all, then——”
“I must find out some other way, and really the most straightforward way would be to marry Harry Bradley, and go to London with him as a wedding trip.”
“Thou must stop talking nonsense or else it will stop my talking one word for thy wish.”
“I was just joking, mother.”
“Always keep everything straight between thysen and thy mother. The first deception between me and thee opens the gates of Danger.”
“I will never forget that, mother. And if I should go away I ask you to take my place with Faith Foster, who is making clothing for the poor in the village.”
“Well, Katherine, what with one thing and what with another, I doan’t know what tha wants. Does tha know thysen?”
“Well, I think it would look better if the Hall should trouble itself a little about the suffering in the village. Faith Foster is the only person doing anything. I was helping her, but——”