"Oh, I don't know; it pleases me to talk so. Mother, if people talked against me, if Hannah and Salome said bitter things of me, would you still try to think the best of me, to believe that I had meant well, although—although—"
Juliet paused, choked by sobs.
"Really, my dear Juliet, it frightens me to see you so upset," said her mother. "If anything is troubling you, tell me, my dear child, that I may help you."
"Oh, nothing is troubling me," exclaimed Juliet wildly making a great effort to master her emotion. "I am very happy, I mean to be very happy. Only I do wish, mother, that you were going with me to-morrow. Mother, promise me that, whatever happens, you always live with me. We must have a home together in the future, you and I. Do promise me that, ever naughty I may be, you will not refuse to live with me."
"You absurd child!" said Mrs. Tracy, beginning to laugh. "As if I should refuse such a thing. Of course, I shall live with you as long as you want me."
"Which will be always," said Juliet, laughing too, rather hysterically. With that she kissed her mother several times, and then lay down to sleep.
Mrs. Tracy was somewhat perturbed by Juliet's wild words, and had many troubled thoughts concerning her ere she fell asleep. But in the morning, Juliet appeared her usual self. She busied herself with her packing assisted by her mother, and talked gaily all the time. At luncheon she could eat little, but the rare excitement of a journey was sufficient to account for that. Hannah was to accompany her to the City and see her safely into the train, after which the short run to Folkestone could be attended by no risk that the most anxious mother could have deprecated.
The cab came late, so that the farewells at the last were hurried. There was some bustle in getting the train, but Hannah succeeded in seeing Juliet comfortably settled in a carriage with several other lady passengers.
"The Felgates will meet you, of course?" she said, more for the sake of making a remark than because she felt any doubt on the subject, having already heard every detail of the arrangements discussed by her mother.
"Yes, I shall be met," Juliet replied.