Part 9 (2/2)

Faith tried to answer, but no words would come.

”I suppose you thought I shouldn't recognize him,” Peg went on wrathfully, ”but I knew him right enough, the mean, selfish brute....

I----”

Faith caught her arm in shaking fingers.

”Peg, do you know who you're talking about?” she gasped. Peg laughed.

”Do I? I should rather say I do! Once seen never forgotten, my dear! I'm talking about the man you were having tea with the other day--Scammel, the brute we're all slaving for to make him rich.”

For a moment Faith stared at her friend, then she laughed.

”Well, you're wrong, quite wrong,” she said, with a little sigh of relief. ”His name isn't Scammel at all--his name is Nicholas Forrester, and so....”

Peg shrugged her shoulders.

”So it may be, for all I know, but he's Scammel, and he owns Heeler's.

Ask him, if you don't believe me. He's the man who brought that crowd of women round the factory I told you about--stuck-up crew! He's the man who cut down our overtime money. Ask any of the girls. Ask old Dell, if you don't believe me. He may call himself Forrester, or Jones, or any other old name, for all I care, but he's Scammel right enough, and he's as mean as he is rich,” she added violently.

”I don't believe it,” said Faith. She was surprised at her own boldness.

As a rule, she never dared to contradict Peg, but her heart sprang to the defence of this man whom she had so recently married. He was good and generous. She had had ample proof of it.

Peg began to walk on quickly. There was a sullen look in her handsome eyes. Faith had almost to run to keep pace with her.

”Don't walk so fast,” she broke out at last breathlessly. ”What's the hurry when I haven't seen you for so long?”

”I've been ill,” was the uncompromising reply.

”I know, and I'm ever so sorry. I came up here particularly to see you, Peg--it's unkind to talk to me like this.”

Peg slackened her steps a little. She was very fond of Faith, but because she considered her weak and unfit to take care of herself she thought it as well to be angry with her sometimes.

”Oh, well,” she said more graciously; ”it's no use going for you, I suppose. You're only a kid, after all.” She smiled faintly. ”What sort of a man have you married? And does your mother know?”

Faith coloured a little. She answered nervously that her mother did not know yet, but that she was going to tell her when she got home.

Peg said ”Humph!” and added that she did not think Mrs. Ledley would be particularly pleased.

”Are you ashamed of the man or what?” she demanded bluntly. ”He can't be much of a chap not to have wanted to see your mother.”

Again Faith rushed eagerly to his defence.

”He did want to. It was my fault that she was not told. It was my suggestion. I wanted to surprise her.”

Peg laughed grimly.

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