“Molly, dear——”
“No, I know it’s no use—you won’t listen—” and Mary drew away and dabbed her eyes with a fragmentary apology for a pocket-handkerchief.
“Molly, please——”
Mary nodded.
“Yes, Liz, I know. I won’t—I didn’t mean to——”
There was a little silence. Then with a sudden choking sob, Mary turned and said:
“I can’t bear it. Oh, Liz, you ought to be loved so much. You ought to marry some one who loves you—really——. And I don’t think David does. Liz, does he love you—does he?”
The sound of her own words frightened her a little, but Elizabeth answered very gently and sadly:
“No, Molly, but he needs me.”
Mary was silenced. Here was something beyond her. She put her arms round Elizabeth and held her very tightly for a moment. Then she released her with a sob, and ran crying from the room.