“I don’t,” Emily whispered resentfully under her breath.
“—and it’s time we decided what is best to be done for her.”
“The Murray women have never had to work out for a living,” said Aunt Elizabeth, as if that disposed of the matter.
“Emily is only half Murray,” said Wallace. “Besides, times are changing. You and Laura will not live forever, Elizabeth, and when you are gone New Moon goes to Oliver’s Andrew. In my opinion Emily should be fitted to support herself if necessary.”
Emily did not like Uncle Wallace but she was very grateful to him at that moment. Whatever his motives were he was proposing the very thing she secretly yearned for.
“I would suggest,” said Uncle Wallace, “that she be sent to Queen’s Academy to get a teacher’s license. Teaching is a genteel, lady-like occupation. I will do my share in providing for the expense of it.”
A blind person might have seen that Uncle Wallace thought this very splendid of himself.
“If you do,” thought Emily, “I’ll pay every cent back to you as soon as I’m able to earn it.”
But Aunt Elizabeth was adamant.
“I do not believe in girls going out into the world,” she said. “I don’t mean Emily to go to Queen’s. I told Mr. Carpenter so when he came to see me about her taking up the Entrance work. He was very rude—school-teachers knew their place better in my father’s time. But I made him understand, I think. I’m rather surprised at you, Wallace. You did not send your own daughter out to work.”