"I thought so! Maryann and Liddy and Temperance -- now I forbid you to suppose such things. You know I don't care the least for Mr. Troy -- not I. Everybody knows how much I hate him. -- Yes." repeated the froward young person, "HATE him!"
"We know you do, miss." said Liddy; "and so do we all."
"I hate him too." said Maryann.
"Maryann -- O you perjured woman! How can you speak that wicked story!" said Bathsheba, excitedly.
"You admired him from your heart only this morning in the very world, you did. Yes, Maryann, you know it!"
"Yes, miss, but so did you. He is a wild scamp now, and you are right to hate him."
"He's NOT a wild scamp! How dare you to my face!
I have no right to hate him, nor you, nor anybody.
But I am a silly woman! What is it to me what he is?
You know it is nothing. I don't care for him; I don"t mean to defend his good name, not I. Mind this, if any of you say a word against him you'll be dismissed instantly!"
She flung down the letter and surged back into the parlour, with a big heart and tearful eyes, Liddy following her.
"O miss!" said mild Liddy, looking pitifully into Bathsheba's face. "I am sorry we mistook you so!
did think you cared for him; but I see you don't now."
"Shut the door, Liddy."
Liddy closed the door, and went on: " People always say such foolery, miss. I'll make answer hencefor'ard, "Of course a lady like Miss Everdene can't love him;"
I'll say it out in plain black and white."
Bathsheba burst out: "O Liddy, are you such a simpleton? Can't you read riddles? Can't you see?
Are you a woman yourself?"
Liddy's clear eyes rounded with wonderment.
"Yes; you must be a blind thing, Liddy!" she said, in reckless abandonment and grief. "O, I love him to very distraction and misery and agony! Don't be frightened at me, though perhaps I am enough to frighten any innocent woman. Come closer -- closer." She put her arms round Liddy's neck. "I must let it out to somebody; it is wearing me away! Don't you yet know enough of me to see through that miserable denial of mine? O God, what a lie it was! Heaven and my Love forgive me. And don't you know that a woman who loves at all thinks nothing of perjury when it is balanced against her love? There, go out of the room; I want to be quite alone."
Liddy went towards the door.