"Oh, Salome, I cannot go there," exclaimed Juliet impetuously, "I cannot bear to see her! I will not go to that home, to have people eyeing me askance, and then talking me over amongst themselves."
"Oh, Juliet, you are not going to be wilful now?" cried Salome, in despair. "You are not going to insist on your own way still?"
Juliet was silenced. She felt the reproach which the words conveyed. Truly, her own way had proved bitter enough. And what had she to hope for now? Whichever way she looked, her future seemed to offer her only what was painful. She burst into passionate tears.
Salome felt that she had yielded.
"You had better lie down, Juliet," she said kindly; "you are not good for much yet. I will put your things together. But first I must write, to relieve mother's anxiety. How could I forget that? Stay, it will be better to send a telegram, just to say that you are safe and with me."
Juliet made no further objection. She looked round on the low-ceiled room with its crimson velvet furniture, and felt that it would be good to escape from the dreary prison it had proved. Her head was throbbing so badly now that it was impossible for her to exert herself. She had to lie still, and leave Salome to arrange things as she would.
Quickly and deftly Salome packed up Juliet's belongings. Then she summoned madame, asked for the bill, and settled it. Madame, who was sincerely glad that the beautiful young English lady had been claimed by this severe-looking sister, was complaisance itself. A little later, Miss Mainprice arrived.
Juliet need not have feared that this lady would treat her as a naughty child. Nothing could have been kinder, or less charged with special significance than Miss Mainprice's manner towards her. It was plain that, like her brother, she was distinguished by great kindliness of heart and the most delicate consideration for others. Juliet felt at ease with her at once, and in an astonishingly short time, she had won the girl's confidence and love.
Juliet slept that night as she had not slept since her coming to Paris. The fresher, brighter atmosphere of the home, the sense of love and sympathy enwrapping her, little as she deserved it, made her feel quite another being on the following day. In spite of all that should stir regret and self-reproach, her spirits rose.
But they speedily fell, when she found herself compelled to contemplate the future, and decide as to the next step to be taken. Salome, having found Juliet, was now impatient to return to the suffering mother who, she felt sure, was needing her, and to the home which she imagined must be falling into hopeless confusion without her careful oversight. But what was to be done with Juliet? Salome never dreamed of setting aside Hannah's prohibition; nor did Juliet, much as she yearned to see her mother, and win, if possible, her forgiveness, desire to return home.