"You did wrong too, Rose," said Christian. "Of course, you wouldn't have done it but for me. I will stand up for you all I can. I will tell your mother myself. She'll be angry, of course, but she wouldn't be a true mother if she didn't forgive."
"Oh, Miss Christian! you don't know what it means. If you only would——"
Then she looked at Christian's face and changed her mind. It was useless to talk any further; Christian was resolved. She had been resolved to run away, and she had done so; she was now equally resolved to return to the straight paths.
"I tell you what it is, Miss Christian," said Rose; "if you'd only speak to great-aunt, and ask her to let me live with her until you come back again, I'd be as happy as the day is long. You'll ask her, miss, won't you?"
"Perhaps," said Christian; "but it is time we were off, and we are not going to pretend any more."
Rosy had made tea, and Christian drank a cup and ate a morsel of bread; and then they pulled the bedstead away from its place beside the door, pushed the chest of drawers aside, and prepared to leave the attic. But first Christian took half-a-crown from her pocket.
"Whatever's that for?" asked Rosy.
"It's for the chair that Judith and Mrs. Carter broke," said Christian.
She had scarcely said the words before Mrs. Carter, with a pretended smile on her face and her hair quite tidily arranged, opened the door of her attic and came out.
"Well, now, dearies," she said, "and how are you both? And how did you sleep?"