Confessions of a Well-Meaning Woman
sail for China as soon as he can get a passage. Let us now go in to dinner, or Miss Phenton will be wondering what has happened to us.”
I felt then that he had decided to break me at all costs, one shock after another. Forcing Will into marriage, driving him abroad, calmly proposing that I should denude myself of everything—and then throwing me face to face with this girl. I tried to protest. . . And then I knew that, if he did not give me something to eat, I should simply break down. . .
I had met the girl before, of course—just for a moment, hardly long enough to take in more than a general view, “the old clergyman’s pretty little daughter”, if you understand me. . . Big grey eyes and a quantity of soft hair; a shy, appealing girl. . .
“Won’t you leave us alone for a moment?,” I said to Sir Appleton. Rather to my surprise he did have the consideration to oblige me in that. “Molly, my dear, won’t you kiss me?,” I said.
The poor little thing shrank from me. . .
“I’m so ashamed,” she cried.
“My child, my child,” I said, “you are overwrought. But we are going to send you right away, where you will forget all your troubles. All will be well. All would have
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