“What was there to frighten you? I had not taken any spoons.”
“I never supposed that for a moment. I was alarmed about yourself.”
“I can take care of myself. I am old enough.”
“I am not sure that you can take care of yourself, Thomasine; you and I come from the same place, dear Orleigh, and it is such a pleasure to me to see you, and hear you talk. When I found that you were gone, I thought what shall I do without my dear Tamsine to talk with about the old place I love so much?”
“Why don’t you go back to it, miss, if you like it?” asked the girl.
“Because I cannot. Come closer to me.” Arminell caught the girl’s hand again. “I also ran away. I ran away, as you are running away now. That has brought upon me great sorrow and bitter self-reproach, and I would save you from doing the same thing that I have done, and from the repentance that comes too late.”
“They said at Orleigh, miss, that you were dead.”
“I am dead to Orleigh and all I love there. Why did you come to town with Mrs. Saltren, if you do not care to be with her?”
“Because I wanted to see the world, but I had no intention of remaining with her.”
“Then what did you intend?”