"What did she do?"
And then Rotha told him the whole story, not sparing herself at all by the way; till he knew pretty well what her life had been these three years, and what part Mrs. Mowbray and what part Mrs. Busby had played in it. Only one thing Rotha did not tell him; the episode of the stockings. He listened in absolute silence, save that now and then he helped her on with a question; holding her hand firmly all the while. And Rotha felt the clasp and knew what it meant, and poured out her heart. After she had done, he was still silent a minute.
"What shall we do to Mrs. Mowbray!" he broke out.
"You cannot do anything to her," said Rotha. "Thanks are nothing; and there is no way of doing the least thing beside;—unless she could be very ill and left to my care; and I do not wish that."
"Perhaps she will give up schooling some day; and we will coax her over to England and make her live with us."
Rotha started and turned upon the speaker one of her brilliant looks. A sort of delight at the thought, and admiration of his thought, with a flush of intense affection which regarded at least two people, made her face like a cluster of diamonds. Mr. Southwode smiled, and then began to talk about that home to which he had alluded. He described it to Rotha; sketched the plan of the house for her; told her about the people of the surrounding country. The house was not magnificent or stately, he said; but large, comfortable, old, and rather picturesque in appearance; standing in the midst of extensive and very lovely grounds, where art had not interfered with nature. He told Rotha he thought she would like it.
Rotha's eyes fell; she made no answer, but was he thought very grave. He went on to tell her about himself and his business. He, and his father and grandfather before him, had been owners of a large manufacturing establishment, the buildings of which made almost a village some three miles from the house, and the workmen in which were very many.
"Isn't that troublesome often?" Rotha asked, forgetting herself now.
"No. Why should it be troublesome?"
"I read in the papers so much about strikes, and disagreements between masters and workmen in this country."