Ethel’s heart beat fast with mingled hope and fear. Had he come in response to her letter? and if so was it in anger toward her oppressors? Her eyes turned enquiringly upon the face of Mrs. Coote, where she read both surprise and suppressed wrath.
“Is this some of your doing?” she muttered menacingly; but before the frightened child could reply the door opened and Mr. Coote put in his head, saying:
“Mr. Eldon is here, asking to see the children. Let them come right in. No help for it, Sarah,” he added in a lower tone and with a look of suppressed anger and apprehension. “I can’t say yet whether it’s any tale-telling that’s brought him; but if that’s the case somebody’ll have to suffer for it.” And he too looked menacingly at poor trembling little Ethel.
“There then, go along all o’you,” said Mrs. Coote, who had just finished wiping their hands and faces, “and mind what you say and do, or you may get yourselves into trouble.”
Then Ethel spoke up bravely, “Don’t be afraid, Nan,” for the little one looked sadly frightened and ready to cry; “we needn’t any of us be afraid of our own dear kind Uncle Albert,” and with that they all hastened into his presence.
He received them most affectionately, hugging and kissing them in turn.
“I have come to take you home with me,” he said, “and we will start just as soon as you and your luggage can be got ready. You may go and pack all your belongings, for you shall never spend another night in this house.”
Then turning to Coote:
“And you, sir, may be thankful that after your brutal treatment of my little nephew I allow you to escape with no greater punishment than the loss of the salary that is due you for the care—such care as it has been too! of these poor little helpless children—my deceased brother’s orphans. My blood boils with indignation when I think of it, and I feel that it would be a satisfaction to thrash you within an inch of your life. But I have decided simply to take the children where it will be out of your power to torment and ill-use them as you have been doing, leaving your punishment to Him who has said: ‘Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless children. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; and my wrath shall wax hot and I will kill you with the sword.’ I wonder you are not afraid of God’s judgments lighting upon you, for in His Word He is called the deliverer of the fatherless, their judge, their helper, and their father. And you who profess to be His minister ought to be well acquainted with His Word.”
“And you who are only a layman, should not dare to so accuse and abuse me—one of the clergy!” exclaimed Coote wrathfully, yet paling visibly as he spoke. “Pray, sir, what proof can you bring of your insulting accusations? which I declare to be false, for I have—according to promise—treated these ill-behaved, rebellious children with all the lenity and fatherly kindness I should had they been my own offspring.”