"I haven't done anything," said Faith. "At least ... nothing you will mind. And I wasn't sent away. I left on my own account."
Mrs. Ledley went on crying.
She sobbed out that she wished she was dead, that she did not see what was the use of going on living.
Faith went down on her knees beside her and the twins held hands and cried for sympathy.
"There's nothing to cry for, mother," Faith urged, kissing her. "There's only something to be glad about. Such a wonderful thing has happened. It's like a...." Like a novelette, she had been going to add, but she remembered the way the Beggar Man had said that he did not like the expression, and changed it to "a fairy story" instead.
She drew her mother's hands down from her face.
"You'll be able to live happily ever after," she said excitedly. Her eyes shone like stars. "We're going to be rich—all of us. We can go away from London and live in the country. And the twins can go to a lovely school and have really pretty frocks. Oh, smile, darling, smile, and say you're glad!"
Mrs. Ledley looked up.
"I think you must be ill—or dreaming," she said with a sob. "What is the good of talking such nonsense, Faith? How do you think such things can ever come true?"
Faith held out her left hand with its new wedding ring.