"But perhaps she may live in London some of these days, Miss
Browning," simpered Mrs. Gibson.
"Time enough then to be thinking of London. I wish her an honest
country husband with enough to live upon, and a little to lay by,
and a good character to boot. Mind that, Molly," said she, firing
round upon the startled Molly; "I wish Cynthia a husband with a good
character; but she's got a mother to look after her; you've none, and
when your mother was alive she was a dear friend of mine: so I'm not
going to let you throw yourself away upon any one whose life isn't
clear and above-board, you may depend upon it!"
This last speech fell like a bomb into the quiet little drawing-room,
it was delivered with such vehemence. Miss Browning, in her secret
heart, meant it as a warning against the intimacy she believed that
Molly had formed with Mr. Preston; but as it happened that Molly had
never dreamed of any such intimacy, the girl could not imagine why
such severity of speech should be addressed to her. Mrs. Gibson, who
always took up the points of every word or action where they touched
her own self (and called it sensitiveness), broke the silence that
followed Miss Browning's speech by saying, plaintively,--
"I'm sure, Miss Browning, you are very much mistaken if you think
that any mother could take more care of Molly than I do. I don't--I
can't think there is any need for any one to interfere to protect
her, and I have not an idea why you have been talking in this way,
just as if we were all wrong, and you were all right. It hurts my
feelings, indeed it does; for Molly can tell you there is not a thing
or a favour that Cynthia has, that she has not. And as for not taking
care of her, why, if she were to go up to London to-morrow, I should
make a point of going with her to see after her; and I never did
it for Cynthia when she was at school in France; and her bedroom
is furnished just like Cynthia's, and I let her wear my red shawl
whenever she likes--she might have it oftener if she would. I can't
think what you mean, Miss Browning."
"I did not mean to offend you, but I meant just to give Molly a hint.
She understands what I mean."
"I'm sure I don't," said Molly, boldly. "I haven't a notion what you
meant, if you were alluding to anything more than you said straight
out,--that you do not wish me to marry any one who hasn't a good
character, and that, as you were a friend of mamma's, you would
prevent my marrying a man with a bad character, by every means in
your power. I'm not thinking of marrying; I don't want to marry
anybody at all; but if I did, and he were not a good man, I should
thank you for coming and warning me of it."