Part 45 (2/2)

”Where's father and mother?” cried Susan. ”I want my mother. Take me home to tell father. Or let me go to the police station, and I'll tell them.”

Marsden had followed his wife upstairs, and he showed himself at the kitchen door. At sight of him, Susan ceased talking and began to howl again.

”She's frightened to death,” said the cook.

Mrs. Marsden was patting the girl's shoulder, studying her tear-stained face eagerly and intently.

”There, there,” she said gently, as if rea.s.sured by all that the red cheeks and streaming eyes had told her. ”I think this is a great noise about nothing at all.”

”Of course it is,” said Marsden, at the door.

”Don't leave me alone with him,” bellowed Susan. ”I won't be kep' a prisoner. I want to see my mother--and my father.”

”Hush--Susan,” said Mrs. Marsden, soothingly. ”Compose yourself. There is no need to cry any more.”

”No need to have cried at all,” said Marsden.

Obviously he was afraid: he alternately bl.u.s.tered and cringed.

”You silly girl,” he said cringingly, ”what rubbish have you got into your head? I pa.s.s a few chaffing remarks--and you suddenly behave like a raving lunatic.” And then he went on bl.u.s.teringly. ”Talk about going!

It's _us_ who ought to dismiss you for your impudence, and your disrespect.”

”You did something to frighten her, sir,” said the cook.

”It's a lie--a d.a.m.ned lie.”

”If so,” said the cook, with concentrated sourness, ”why not let her go to the police, as she wishes?”

”No,” shouted Marsden. ”I can't have my servants libelling and scandalizing me. I've a public position in this town--and I won't have people sneaking out of my house to spread a lot of innuendos against their employers.”

Then he beckoned his wife, and spoke to her in a whisper. ”For G.o.d's sake, shut her up. Give her a present--square her. Shut her mouth somehow.... It's all right, you know--but we mustn't give her the chance of slandering me;” and he went out of the kitchen.

But he returned almost immediately, to beckon and whisper again.

”Jane. Don't let her out of your sight.”

So this was her task for the remainder of the day of rest--to sit and chat with a blubbering housemaid until a pacification of nerves and mind had been achieved.

She performed the task, but found it a fatiguing one. Susan made her labours arduous by returning to the starting point every time that any progress had been made.

”I'd sooner go back 'ome at once, ma'am.”

”I think that would be a pity, Susan. If you leave me like this, I may not be able to get you another place. Why should you throw up a comfortable situation?”

”It isn't comfortable.”

”Susan, you shouldn't say that. Haven't I treated you kindly?”

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