“My dear, when I am desperate I can and will. A person who is drowning catches at straws, and if I am expelled from The Red Gables it is much the same as if I were drowned. There will be no mercy in me towards you unless you show mercy to me now.”
“Kitty, you can’t accuse us of not showing mercy. I’m sure all our days we were doing everything for you.”
“Well, all you have to do now is to be silent when Miss Weston’s account comes in.”
“Oh dear, I wish you’d tell me what you are doing about it.”
“No, no; I should not think of doing such a thing. However, I shall require from you and from Grace twenty pounds when we return to The Red Gables. Can you manage to get that for me?”
“I don’t know. I feel afraid to promise anything.”
“You can easily do it. You have but to sell one of your jewels. I can manage that for you.”
“Oh I don’t think we need sell our jewels. I will see what I can do. Well, I do feel pretty miserable!”
“It will be all right. You will be blamed a little, but the worst will be avoided. Now then, shall we drive to the post-office?”
The girls did so. There Kitty spent some time writing a letter to Miss Weston.