A fine
thing for all of them, if the little fool came to trouble and disgrace
that way. She would not immediately bother Dale about it; but she
promptly tackled Norah, roundly accused her of improper behavior,
expressed a firm conviction that she was playing the fool with some
young man, and threatened to lay the whole matter before the master.
"D'you understand, Norah? We won't put up with it--not for a moment.
We're not going to let you make yourself the talk of the place and
bring us to shame into the bargain."
Norah, alternately flushing and turning pale, defended herself with
vigor. She was indignant not with the threats, but with the suspicion.
She swore that she had never for one instant thought of a young man,
much less spoken to or made appointments with a young man; and that
she had broken the house-rule simply because she found it almost
impossible to keep it. She had always loved wandering about under the
trees: she used to go there all alone as a baby, and she thought it
unreasonable that she might not go there alone as a grown-up person.
Norah's indignant tone suggested complete innocence, and Mavis felt
relieved in mind, but yet not quite sure whether the girl was really
telling the truth.
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