"Thank you. I really do not think I shall wait. I meant to get home before it came quite dark." Seeing David's miserable face she added, "Don't flatter yourself that I'm leaving on your account, young man. Let me tell you I've read all that sort of stuff before in the papers my maids leave about over Sunday. And, mark my words, you and your like nearly always end in prison and a lot of fuss over nothing."
During the drive home Tom tried to pacify her.
"I'm sure it was rare nonsense that young fellow talked. But they don't mean half what they say, those chaps. It just comes out with a gush and there's no stopping it—like our old pump when the washer's gone."
Sarah snorted. "It's pretty clear that Anderby Wold's no place for John. When Ursula told me to-day that Mary had gone and picked up a sort of socialist tramp on the road I can't say I was surprised. Mary would do anything. I always knew she'd make a fool of herself one day. What he says to me is neither here nor there, though of all the impertinence I'm sure I never heard such. But what I say is, mark my words, if Mary takes up with folk like that, before long there'll be trouble at Anderby Wold and John will be the one to suffer!"
Meanwhile in the dining-room at Anderby David, scarlet with mortification, was standing among piles of linen.
"Oh, I can't tell you how sorry I am. Please forgive me! I can't think why I did it. It was insufferable. I——"
But Mary, who had lived for ten years with one of those ninety and nine just persons who had no need for repentance, found it sweet to forgive.
"Please don't be upset. It didn't matter. I'm sure it must do Sarah good to have a mental shaking up now and then."
David was running his hands through his hair and changing colour from grey to scarlet.
"You've been ripping to me—ripping. And I've been nothing but a nuisance. I've upset this house for three days and now I go and am rude to your guests. And I'm not going to stop at that either," he groaned. "I've got to go out now into the village and tell your labourers that they're ill-treated when they're not, and unsettle things that are quite happy as they are. And there's no knowing where it'll all end."