You have literally, fed and housed us for the last
month"
Peg looked up at Ethel in astonishment.
She forgot her own sorrow.
"Ye were beggars?"
"Yes. We have nothing but the provision made for your training."
Poor Mrs. Chichester looked at her daughter reproachfully.
Alaric had never seen his sister even INTERESTED much less EXCITED
before. He turned to his mother, shrugged his shoulders and said:
"I give it up! That's all I can say! I simply give it up!"
Peg grasped the full meaning of Ethel's words:
"And will ye have nothin' if I go away?"
Peg paused: Ethel did not speak.
Peg persisted: "Tell me--are ye ralely dependin' on ME? Spake to me.
Because if ye are, I won't go. I'll stay with ye. I wouldn't see ye
beggars for the wurrld. I've been brought up amongst them, an' I
know what it is."
Suddenly she took Ethel by the shoulders and asked in a voice so low
that none of the others heard her:
"Was that the reason ye were goin' last night?"
Ethel tried to stop her.
The truth illumined Ethel's face and Peg saw it and knew.
"Holy Mary!" she cried, "and it was I was drivin' ye to it. Ye felt
the insult of it every time ye met me--as ye said last night. Sure,
if I'd known, dear, I'd never have hurt ye, I wouldn't! Indade, I
wouldn't!"
She turned to the others:
"There! It's all settled.
Pages:
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380