whether you’ll pain the Professor or displease Mrs Forrest. You can’t possibly please both of them. You must choose which you think right, and stick to it. You can’t serve God and mammon.”
How dreadfully earnest Delia was! It almost frightened Anna to hear her talk like that.
“I will try,” she repeated. “I will do my best, Delia, if only you won’t be angry any longer.”
She put her hand softly into her companion’s, and Delia’s fingers closed over it in a warm clasp. For the time, the old feelings of confidence and affection had returned, and when, a little later, Anna walked back to the Vicarage alone, she was full of good resolves. She would try to deserve Delia’s friendship. She would go often to Dornton, and be very loving to her grandfather. She would turn over a new leaf.
“My dear Anna,” cried Mrs Forrest, meeting her in the porch with her basket of wet, shining river-plants, “do you know the time? Miss Stiles has been waiting to try on your dress for the picnic. Dear me! what dripping things! Let Mary take them.”
The picnic! Anna had really for the moment forgotten the picnic. All the good resolves trooped into the background again while she tried on the new dress. But only till after the picnic! When that was over she would make a fresh start, and never, never, conceal anything again.