"My mother—no, my parents are not living."
"You seem not quite sure," she smiled.
Daniel coloured uncomfortably. The thought of his Mennonite step-mother gave him his first humiliating sense of inferiority to a Berkeley of Berkeley Hill. What a shock it would be to "a perfect lady" like Margaret if she ever met the old woman! He would try to avert such a stab to his self-respect.
"I suppose," he thought with some bitterness, "I can't get out of telling her about mother; she's bound to hear of her some time, and even perhaps meet her."
"I have a step-mother," he said testily.
"She lives in New Munich?"
"No, fifteen miles out in the country. We don't see much of her."
"I don't see her name here," said Margaret, glancing down the list he had given her.
"No; it won't be necessary to send her a card."
"You are not friendly with her? She was not a good step-mother to you?"