‘For ever?’
‘For ever!’
Mrs Marshall let go Madge’s hand, turned her eyes towards her intently for a moment, and again bent over her as if she were about to embrace her. A knock, however, came at the door, and Mrs Caffyn entered with the cup of coffee which she always insisted on bringing before Madge rose. After she and her daughter had left, Madge read the letter once more. There was nothing new in it, but formally it was something, like the tolling of the bell when we know that our friend is dead. There was a little sobbing, and then she kissed her child with such eagerness that it began to cry.
‘You’ll answer that letter, I suppose?’ said Mrs Caffyn, when they were alone.
‘No.’
‘I’m rather glad. It would worrit you, and there’s nothing worse for a baby than worritin’ when it’s mother’s a-feedin it.’
Mr Caffyn wrote as follows:—
‘Dear Sir,—I was sorry as you couldn’t come; but I believe now as it was better as you didn’t. I am no scollard, and so no more from your obedient, humble servant,
‘Mrs Caffyn.
‘P.S.—I return the money, having no use for the same.
CHAPTER XXII
Baruch did not obtain any very definite information from Marshall about Clara. He was told that she had a sister; that they were both of them gentlewomen; that their mother and father were dead; that they were great readers, and that they did not go to church nor chapel, but that they both went sometimes to hear a certain Mr A. J. Scott lecture. He was once assistant minister to Irving, but was now heretical, and had a congregation of his own creating at Woolwich.