“Are you not laboring under some delusion or excitement? I had better give you the details of our family history before I go in.”
“Nonsense! I have known your history, as I said, since the Christmas holidays. What does it matter? Come in, and Beth shall make tea for us.”
“But do tell me how you knew.”
“I will tell you everything, only come in,” and Dolly gave her a good-natured push into the room where the others were waiting for them, for Mary and Miss Van Gerder had already returned with permission for Margaret to change rooms, if she desired.
“I sincerely hope that you do desire, for I really want you, Margaret.”
“You are very good, Miss Van Gerder.”
“Now stop right there, Margaret. Whether you room with me or not, you shall not be formal. My name is Constance, and you know it very well.”
“I never called you by it,” said Margaret steadily.
“I hope you will now. Please don’t spoil the entire year for me. If you will consent to share my rooms, and let me make up for my thoughtlessness in so far as I may, you will be doing me a great favor.”
“I do not see why you should not have said what you did; it was the truth, and there was no reason why it should not have been told. You must not feel that you owe me any reparation. That is not true. So far as I am concerned, while the present moment may be a little disagreeable in many respects, I cannot altogether regret what has occurred. Mother, naturally, will feel sorry, but there cannot be further disclosures, for I filled in, for Miss Dunbar’s benefit, all the details that you had omitted. She knows that Father was your uncle’s coachman, and–”