"I'll be ready in ten minutes," said Molly, much touched by the
squire's words and manner, never thinking of asking her stepmother's
consent, now that she had heard that her father had given his. As she
rose to leave the room, Mrs. Gibson, who had only half heard what the
Squire had said, and was a little affronted at the exclusiveness of
his confidence, said,--"My dear, where are you going?"
"Mrs. Hamley wants me, and papa says I may go," said Molly; and
almost at the same time the Squire replied,--
"My wife is ill, and as she's very fond of your daughter, she begged
Mr. Gibson to allow her to come to the Hall for a little while, and
he kindly said she might, and I'm come to fetch her."
"Stop a minute, darling," said Mrs. Gibson to Molly--a slight cloud
over her countenance, in spite of her caressing word. "I am sure dear
papa quite forgot that you were to go out with me to-night, to visit
people," continued she, addressing herself to the Squire, "with whom
I am quite unacquainted--and it is very uncertain if Mr. Gibson can
return in time to accompany me--so, you see, I cannot allow Molly to
go with you."
"I shouldn't have thought it would have signified. Brides are always
brides, I suppose; and it's their part to be timid; but I shouldn't
have thought it--in this case. And my wife sets her heart on things,
as sick people do. Well, Molly" (in a louder tone, for these
foregoing sentences were spoken _sotto voce_), "we must put it off
till to-morrow: and it's our loss, not yours," he continued, as
he saw the reluctance with which she slowly returned to her place.
"You'll be as gay as can be to-night, I daresay--"
"No, I shall not," broke in Molly. "I never wanted to go, and now I
shall want it less than ever."
"Hush, my dear," said Mrs. Gibson; and, addressing the Squire, she
added, "The visiting here is not all one could wish for so young a
girl--no young people, no dances, nothing of gaiety; but it is wrong
in you, Molly, to speak against such kind friends of your father's as
I understand these Cockerells are. Don't give so bad an impression of
yourself to the kind Squire."
"Let her alone! let her alone!" quoth he. "I see what she means.
She'd rather come and be in my wife's sick-room than go out for this
visit to-night. Is there no way of getting her off?"
"None whatever," said Mrs. Gibson. "An engagement is an engagement
with me; and I consider that she is not only engaged to Mrs.
Cockerell, but to me--bound to accompany me, in my husband's
absence."