A Fair Fraud — page 206: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A Fair Fraud 195 _ diamonds like those round the old woman’s ugly neck? all for some ridiculous childish reluctance or other that I neither understand nor have patience with!’ and Mrs Lane pushed her chair angrily back from the table. ‘ You are a wicked, ungrateful girl!’ she cried as she left the room, slamming the door violcntly behind her, and all Hester could do was to sit on and cry over the empty plates until the men-servants came in to clear the table and she was forced to leave the room. She avoided Marion, too, for she imagined that Marion had learnt the truth about her from Mr Naylor, and she dared not look upon her as a disinterested friend. Naturally, Marion regarded her and her mother in the light of adventuresses, and would be glad for the Drurys’ sake when they went away. Marion Blake would wonder, of course, why they did not leave to-day—she would not understand the seemingly causeless delay—she would regard it with suspicion, and she would pro- bably cross-question her. Hester felt she could not stand cross-questioning, so she avoided her as much as possible. The day was very long and dull for both girls, Each found her own avocations apart, whilst the elder ladies had seemingly a great deal to say to each other, and did not require their society. GORMGIOO oO G' Q)