A wave of sudden desolation seemed to sweep over Sheila. A rush of hot tears flooded her eyes. She burst into sobs and flung herself down on the sofa, crying—
“Oh, how can you say such cruel things? How can you?”
“I say them for your good—because they are true,” answered Mrs. Cossart, her anger in no way appeased by the sight of Sheila’s grief; “and there is the less excuse for you, because you have always had Effie’s example before you. You will never find her lowering herself by running after young men as you have been doing; and I tell you, Sheila, that nothing so disgusts those very young men as seeing girls do this. They humour them at the time for their amusement, and because their vanity is flattered; but in the end they despise them. Mr. Dumaresq has been very kind to you, but he must know perfectly well that you are trying to get him for a husband.”
Sheila suddenly started up, her face suddenly grown white.
“Aunt Cossart, you shall not say that again! I will not bear it from you. Yes, I will go away. I would not stay after this. Where is my uncle? Let me talk to him, but please do not say another word. I cannot bear it!”
There was something in the girl’s sudden change of manner that half frightened Mrs. Cossart. She did not particularly want Sheila and her uncle to meet just now.
“Your uncle has gone downstairs,” she answered uneasily, “you can see him after dinner.”
“I shall not go down to dinner,” said Sheila, putting up her hand to her head in a dazed way. “My head aches. I shall go to bed. If I am going away on Monday, I think I won’t come down to meals any more.”
“Well, I think you had better go to bed,” said Mrs. Cossart. “You have had a tiring day, and you don’t look yourself. I don’t mean to be unkind, Sheila, but you have no mother, and it is my duty to speak plainly sometimes.”
“Then I am sure you have done your duty, Aunt Cossart,” said Sheila, giving one direct look at her aunt, and then the wave of bitterness surged over her once more. The tears rushed to her eyes; she felt as though she were choking, and in a blind sort of way she darted from the room, dashed into the one she shared with Effie, and flinging herself upon her bed broke into wild weeping.