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Manners, J. Hartley, 1870-1928

"Peg O' My Heart"

Chichester looked steadily at
Jerry for a few moments before she spoke. When she did speak her
voice was cold and hard and accusatory.
"Surely, Sir Gerald Adair knows better than to take a girl of
eighteen to a public ball without her relations' sanction?"
"I thought only of the pleasure it would give her," he answered.
"Please accept my, sincerest apologies."
Peg looked at him in wonder:
"Sir Gerald Adair! Are YOU Sir Gerald Adair?"
"Yes, Peg."
"So ye have a title, have yez?"
He did not answer.
Peg felt somehow that she had been cheated. Why had he not told her?
Why did he let her play and romp and joke and banter with him as
though they had been children and equals? It wasn't fair! He was
just laughing, at her! Just laughing at her! All her spirit was in
quick revolt.
"Do you realise what you have done?" broke in Mrs. Chichester.
"I'm just beginning to," replied Peg bitterly.
"I am ashamed of you! You have disgraced us all!" cried Mrs.
Chichester.
"Have I?" screamed Peg fiercely. "Well, if I HAVE then I am goin'
back to some one who'd never be ashamed o' me, no matter what I did.
Here I've never been allowed to do one thing I've wanted to. He lets
me do EVERYTHING I want because he loves and trusts me an' whatever
I do is RIGHT because _I_ do it.


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