"I understood the nursery and the girl were to
be my province," she said. "If Miss Merrifield heard her mamma say
otherwise, then it is a different thing."
Susan cowered into the dark cupboard. Nurse must be in a dreadful
way to call her Miss Merrifield, instead of Missy!
Nothing more could be done. The pence could not be found. Nurse
would not let Rhoda be examined; and all that could be found out from
the children had been already elicited.
Christabel could only beg that no more should be said, and, her head
aching with perplexity, hope that some light might yet be thrown on
the matter. There must be pain and grief whenever it should be
explained; but this would be far better, even for the offender, than
the present deception: and the whole family were in a state of
irritation and distrust, that hurt their tempers, and made her
bitterly reproach herself with not having prevented temptation by
putting the hoard under lock and key.
She ordered that no more should be said about it that evening, and
made herself obeyed; but play was dull, and everything went off
heavily.
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