“Do it for? You ungrateful child! What did I do it for? I’ll tell you,” Mrs. Farnshaw’s eyes hardened into momentary coals of fire. “I did it because I don’t like your whole goings on. Minister? Why don’t you say preacher, like the rest of your folks? It’s that Hornby woman. She made you talk of divorces——” At thought of all her supposed wrongs at the hand of Susan Hornby Mrs. Farnshaw broke into a half scream and ended by throwing herself into a chair by her daughter’s side and clinging to her hand with her upturned face streaming over with tears, her mouth convulsed with pain till speech was impossible.
Moved to repentance at the sight of the pang she had caused, Elizabeth fell on her knees by her mother’s side, and with her arms encircling her, cried contritely:
“I didn’t mean it, ma, really—that is, I didn’t mean it that way. Don’t mind what I said. I do love you.”
Mrs. Farnshaw clung to her, so shaken by sobs that she still could not speak, and the penitent daughter soothed and comforted her with her own heart breaking at the thoughtlessness of her speech.
“Put it away and don’t remember it; I didn’t mean it. I’m tired to death—and—and——” She pondered a moment and then made the experiment. “And I want to speak of Aunt Susan to you. I can’t bear to have you feel so bad about me liking her. She hasn’t put a single notion into my head. Be good and get acquainted with her. She’d like to have you. If you knew her you’d know how different she is from what you think. I’ll take you to see her the very first time you come to see me. Say you will.”
Elizabeth stroked the thin hair back from the passion-worn face, and waited for her reply.
Mrs. Farnshaw shook her head, but could not meet the offer squarely.
“The two of you’d be a wishin’ you could get rid of me so’s you could talk your own kind of talk,” she said with conviction. “’Taint any use, Lizzie; I ain’t your kind. Your pa ’d be madder at me ’n ever, too.”
“Well, he’s mad all the time, anyhow,” Elizabeth said.
“No ’e wasn’t till you said that awful thing—that is, ’e was mad often enough, but not like ’e’s been since. You don’t know what you done t’ your mother then. Be good, an’ go t’ ’im, an’ settle ’is mind ’fore you’re married. It don’t matter if I know Miss Hornby ’r not; but what a difference it’d make t’ me if he only knowed I never put you up t’ that partin’ business! Please do it fur me, Lizzie.”