"Go and get some flowers for your mother," said Mrs. Bell, "like those which you got for the baby."
"Well," said Bella, "I will." So she turned away, and went singing and dancing out of the room.
"Mary," said Mrs. Bell. "I wish that you would shut up this house and take the children and come to my house, at least for a while, until you can determine what to do."
Mary Erskine shook her head, but did not reply. She seemed, however, to be regaining her composure. Presently she raised her head, smoothed down her hair, which was very soft and beautiful, readjusted her dress, and sat up, looking out at the window.
"If you stay here," continued Mrs. Bell, "you will only spend your time in useless and hopeless grief."
"No," said Mary Erskine, "I am not going to do any such a thing."
"Have you begun to think at all what you shall do?" asked Mrs. Bell.
"No," said Mary Erskine. "When any great thing happens, I always have to wait a little while till I get accustomed to knowing that it has happened, before I can determine what to do about it. It seems as if I did not more than half know yet, that Albert is dead. Every time the door opens I almost expect to see him come in."
"Do you think that you shall move to the new house?" asked Mrs. Bell.
"No," said Mary Erskine, "I see that I can't do that. I don't wish to move there, either, now."