“No,” answered Jessy with distressed eyes. “Only—only——”
“Only what, pray?”
“Well, they can absolve me from all sin.”
“Oh, you poor foolish misguided child!” cried Abigail in anguish; “you must take your sins to the Saviour: He can absolve you, and He alone. Do you want any third person to stand between you and Him?”
Jessy gave a sobbing sigh. “It’s best as it is, Abigail. Anyway, it is too late now.”
“Stop a bit,” cried sharp Miss Susan. “I should like to have one thing answered, Jessy. You have told us how hard you were kept to work: if that was so, pray how did you find leisure to be dancing abroad to Oratorios? Come?”
Jessy could not, or would not, answer.
“Can you explain that!” said Miss Susan, some sarcasm in her tone.
“I went out sometimes in an evening,” faltered Jessy. And more than that could not be drawn from her.
They did not tell Mr. Page: it would have distressed him too much. In a day or two Jessy asked to see a priest. Miss Abigail flatly refused, on account of the scandal. As if their minister was not good enough!