Andy found her and brought her back to the house. She sobbed on till she reached her bedroom, and then flung herself down on the soft woolly rug before the fire, refusing to speak to Goody or to be comforted.
"Whatever have you been doing? You're to go to bed at once," said Goody, looking quite worried, as she drew Harebell towards her and begun brushing out her hair.
"Oh, Aunt Diana is so cruel! She's just breaking my heart, and Tom will never be made good—never, never! Me and him were going to plan it all out, and she says I'm never to speak to him again. I shall! I shall!"
"If it's Tom Triggs you're speaking of, your aunt is quite right. He's not fit to be with a little girl like you!"
"But he's going to be different."
"It's high time he was, but he'll never alter, never!"
Harebell sobbed on miserably.
When Goody told her to say her prayers, she shook her head.
"I don't want to. I feel so wicked, and I won't be good yet. I—I hate Aunt Diana! I wish I had never known her!"
"You're a very naughty little girl," said Goody severely. She did not leave her till she was in bed; then Harebell lay quite still in the dark, and from being very angry, she now began to feel very lonely and frightened.