"No—"
"No. And I think it's a very good plan to separate for a time. For a time, of course. It's her own wish."
(Oh, Mrs. Wilcox! But strict accuracy is an abject virtue when pride and the honor of a family are at stake.)
"That's all very well, my dear Mrs. Wilcox, but in the meanwhile people will talk."
"That won't break Molly's heart. She'd snap her fingers at them. And the more they talk, the more she'll go her own way. That's Molly all over. You can't turn her by talking, but she'd go through fire and water for any one she loves."
Poor vulgar, silly Mrs. Wilcox! But try her on the subject of her daughter, and she rang true.
Miss Batchelor smiled. She didn't know about going through fire; but Mrs. Nevill had certainly been playing with the element, and got her fingers badly scorched too.
"Well," said she, "of course, so long as Mrs. Nevill Tyson doesn't break her heart over it."
"Does it look as if she were breaking her heart? Five theatres in one week."
"No; I can't say I think it does."