Elizabeth smiled. She was beginning to understand. New ideas burst upon her suddenly. Unconscious of the meaning which might be given to her words, she said, “I’m just beginning to learn that it is not wise to take any one’s opinion in regard to any one else. You must trust and be deceived, and trust again, and just go on learning people for yourself. Did Anna Cresswell never come to see you? I should think she would since she refused to attend the meeting.”
“She came twice to ask me to go somewhere with her, once for a drive, and once to walk, but each time I refused. I felt so badly that I had no courage to go out among the girls. It was only a few weeks before we were to go home. I made up my mind to bear it until school was out and then not come back. But I changed my mind, as I told you. She did not ask me again. But I did not expect that for she is very busy with extra work. I suppose she thinks it has all passed away. She doesn’t run about to spreads and high teas, so she may not have discovered that I am not among those present.”
Elizabeth was silent. She was thinking, not of her companion’s misdeed, but of the part which Landis had probably played throughout the affair. Nora waited for her to speak, but receiving no answer put another question.
“Are you, too, so disgusted with me that you can’t bear to speak of it?”
“No,” slowly, “I am not disgusted. But you certainly cannot expect me to grow enthusiastic or praise you for cheating. I don’t like dishonesty in any form; but I do not know that it is my place to pass judgment on you. I may criticise that in you; someone else will find something to criticise in me. One thing I am quite sure of. You are sorry as sorry can be that you did it; and you will never be guilty of cheating again, even if you know that you will fail and be compelled to go to school here forever.”
“You may be sure of that. One experience ended such methods for me.” There was nothing conciliatory in her tone.
“I will be honest with you, Nora. I am disappointed in you, but I’m glad you told me. You may be quite sure this will make no difference in our friendship.”
Much to Elizabeth’s surprise, Nora, instead of replying, began to sob, and it was some minutes before she could speak.
“I appreciate this, Elizabeth. I know I did wrong, and I have spent six months in being sorry. Yet I do not believe I should be censured so much as some of you if you had done the same thing. That is rather an odd thing to say, I know. But when I tell you all, you will understand just what I mean. My mother died when I was a few weeks old. She belonged to an excellent family, an only child. Somehow,” the girl hesitated. It was difficult to explain without seeming critical of one parent. “Somehow, my father never cared much for what mother cared for most. He could not see anything wrong in cards, and wine-parties, and things like that. When mother died grandmother Loraine took me. But she did not live long. Then I went back home and lived with a housekeeper and the servants. Sometimes they were honest and sometimes not. Mrs. Gager took charge of me. She was a very clean old German woman and not afraid of work, but was not refined. She couldn’t even read. I am not complaining, for she was as good to me as she knew how to be. Nothing that I wanted was too much trouble. She was really my slave, and made every one around the house step when I spoke.
“I was a little tyrant. Father spent a great deal of time from home, for he was a very busy man. But he spoiled me, too. I had but to stamp my foot and he would let me do what I wished. He really could not deny me anything, and he doesn’t yet. You see, I am the only person in the world he has left, and he thinks I am simply wonderful.” She laughed lightly. “I am always amused when I hear him talk to anyone of me. It is nice, though, to have someone think of you in that way. He is wholly sincere. He really believes I’m the brightest and most attractive girl at Exeter.