Sheila stood and looked at the empty chairs and laughed bitterly. The day that was to celebrate her triumph had closed in disappointment. Meg had behaved shockingly. She had had no business to sing "The Last Rose of Summer" without consulting her; and as for her final denouement! She had acted like a common schoolgirl.
Sheila had not been near her since she had disgraced herself by springing off the platform, so she had no idea as to the cause of her extraordinary action. But whatever it was it only proved that it was quite impossible to inculcate proper behaviour into a girl who had spent her life among hedges and ditches. Well, Meg had had her chance and had not profited by it. She had thoroughly disappointed the one who had given it to her, and it seemed to Sheila that now there was nothing more to be done.
"Of course everyone will laugh at my failure," she thought bitterly. "It's most provoking. However, it will be an excuse for sending Meg away. I am quite tired of her companionship. She will have to look out for herself and get her living the best way she can."
Meg did not come down to dinner, and Sheila took no pains to find out the cause. No doubt she was ashamed of herself, she thought, and dreaded meeting her after such unwarrantable behaviour.
[CHAPTER XVI]
BROUGHT TO BAY
MEG woke up the next morning with a bad headache, and a feeling of misery.
She had not seen Sheila since the concert, and dreaded the thought of doing so. But what weighed on her mind still more was her conduct towards Jem. It was no use trying to excuse herself with the remembrance that she had been taken by surprise and had had no time to make up her mind how to act. She knew in her heart that what she had done when off her guard proved her state of mind, and it was the thought of her ingratitude, that depressed her with a sense of shame.
She could not forget the expression of his bright blue eyes and his eager radiant face as he had hurried towards her. She had not seen such an expression on any face since she had last seen him. No one had looked at her with such love ever since she had come to live at Friars Court, and yet she had turned away from him! She had turned away because she could not face the hardships that would have to be faced if she put in her lot with Jem. How could she marry him now that she had learnt what it meant to live in comfort and luxury?
Then her thoughts flew to Sheila. It was somewhat consoling to feel so sure that had she welcomed Jem, Sheila would not easily have forgiven her, and would then have had a right to think that all the advantages she had given her had been ruthlessly thrown away. What would be the use of the love of books and music, and all the other good things she had learnt to appreciate, if she decided to marry Jem, and put in her lot with him? Yet Meg knew that nothing else would satisfy him if once they met as friends.