‘There were some who would, as plenty will now; but we were a rough set—we had not so much to start with as the lads, willy nilly, have now. But I should have been glad of books, and diversion free from lawlessness might have prevented poor Dick’s scrapes. By the bye, that daughter of his can do good work.’
‘Poor thing,’ said Miss Adeline, ‘she is a very good girl, and in great trouble. I was much pleased with her, and I think, she has behaved remarkably well under very trying circumstances.’
‘I observed that the young women in the mosaic department seemed to be much attached to her,’ said Mr. White.
‘My sister thinks she has been an excellent influence there.’
‘She was not there,’ said Mr. White.
‘No; her mother is too ill to be left—dying, I should think, from what I hear.’
‘From the shock of that foolish lad’s evasion?’ asked Lord Rotherwood.
‘She was very ill before, I believe, though that brought it to a crisis. No one would believe how much that poor girl has had depending on her. I wish she had been at the works—I am sure you would have been struck with her.’
‘Have you any reason to think they are in any distress, Miss Mohun?’
‘Not actually at present; but I do not know what they are to do in future, with the loss of the salaries those two have had,’ said Adeline, exceedingly anxious to say neither too much nor too little.