"Are you going into Baslehurst this evening, dear?" she said.
"Yes, mamma; I shall walk in after tea;—that is if you don't want me. I told the Miss Tappitts I would meet them."
"No; I shan't want you. But Rachel—"
"Well, mamma?"
Mrs. Ray did not know how to do it. The matter was surrounded with difficulties. How was she to begin, so as to introduce the subject of the young man without shocking her child and showing an amount of distrust which she did not feel? "Do you like those Miss Tappitts?" she said.
"Yes;—in a sort of a way. They are very good-natured, and one likes to know somebody. I think they are nicer than Miss Pucker."
"Oh, yes;—I never did like Miss Pucker myself. But, Rachel—"
"What is it, mamma? I know you've something to say, and that you don't half like to say it. Dolly has been telling tales about me, and you want to lecture me, only you haven't got the heart. Isn't that it, mamma?" Then she put down her work, and coming close up to her mother, knelt before her and looked up into her face. "You want to scold me, and you haven't got the heart to do it."
"My darling, my darling," said the mother, stroking her child's soft smooth hair. "I don't want to scold you;—I never want to scold you. I hate scolding anybody."
"I know you do, mamma."