Dora came forward in indignation.
"You"ll get nothing out of her if you treat her like that," she said, with spirit, "nor out of me either."
Purcell recovered himself with difficulty. He let Lucy go, and walking up to the mantelpiece stood there, leaning his arm upon it, and looking at the girls from under his hand.
"What do I want to get out of you?" he said, with scorn. "As if I didn"t know already everything that"s in your silly minds! I guessed already, and now that you have been so obliging as to let your secrets out under my very nose--I _know!_ That chit there"--he pointed to Lucy--all his gestures had a certain theatrical force and exaggeration, springing, perhaps, from his habit of lay preaching--"imagines she going to marry the young infidel I gave the sack to a while ago. Now don"t she? Are you going to say no to that?"
His loud challenge pushed Dora to extremities, and it was all left to her. Lucy was sobbing on the sofa.
"I don"t know what she imagines," said Dora, slowly, seeking in vain for words; the whole situation was so ridiculous. "Are you going to prevent her falling in love with the man she chooses?"
"_Certainly!_" said Purcell, with mocking emphasis.
"Certainly--since she chooses wrong. The only concern of the G.o.dly in these matters is to see that their children are not yoked with unbelievers. Whenever I see that young reprobate in the street now, I smell _the pit_. And it"ll not be long before the Lord tumbles him into it; there"s an end comes to such devil"s fry as that. Oh, they may prosper and thrive, they may revile the children of the Lord, they may lift up the hoof against the poor Christian, but the time comes--_the time comes._"
His solemnity, at once unctuous and full of vicious meaning, only irritated Dora. But Lucy raised herself from the sofa, and looked suddenly round at her father. Her eyes were streaming, her hair in disorder, but there was a suspicion and intelligence in her look which seemed to give her back self-control. She watched eagerly for what her father might say or do next.
As soon as he saw her sitting up he walked over to her and took her again by the shoulder.
"Now look here," he said to her, holding her tight, "let"s finish with this. That young man"s the Lord"s enemy--he"s my enemy--and I"ll teach him a lesson before I"ve done. But that"s neither here nor there. You understand this. If you ever walk out of this door with him, you"ll not walk back into it, with him or without him.
I"d have done with you, and _my money_"ld have done with you.
But there"--and Purcell gave a little scornful laugh, and let her go with a push--"_he_ don"t care twopence about you--I"ll say that for him."
Lucy flushed fiercely, and getting up began mechanically to smooth her hair before the gla.s.s, with wild tremulous movements, will and defiance settling on her lip, as she looked at herself and at the reflection of her father.
"And as for you, Miss Lomax," said Purcell deliberately, standing opposite Dora, "you"ve been aiding and abetting somehow--I don"t care how. I don"t complain. There was nothing better to be expected of a girl with your parentage and bringing up, and a Puseyite into the bargain. But I warn you you"ll go meddling here once too often before you"ve done. If you"ll take my advice you"ll let other people"s business alone, and _mind your own_. Them that have got Adrian Lomax on their hands needn"t go poaching on their neighbours for something to do."
He spoke with a slow, vindictive emphasis, and Dora shrank and quivered as though he had struck her. Then by a great effort--the effort of one who had not gone through a close and tender training of the soul for nothing--she put from her both her anger and her fear.
"You"re cruel to father," she said, her voice fluttering; "you might be thinking sometimes how straight he"s kept since he took the Parlour. And I don"t believe young Grieve means any harm to you or anybody--and I"m sure I don"t."
A sob rose in her throat. Anybody less cra.s.sly armoured in self-love than Purcell must have been touched. As for him, he turned on his heel.
"I"ll protect myself, thank you," he said dryly;" and I"ll judge for myself. You can do as you like, and Lucy too, so long as she takes the consequences. Do you understand, Lucy?"
"Yes," said Lucy, facing round upon him, all tremulous pa.s.sion and rebellion, but she could not meet his fixed, tyrannical eye. Her own wavered and sank. Purcell enjoyed the spectacle of her for a second or two, smiled, and went.
As soon as he was gone, Lucy dragged her cousin to the stairs, and never let her go till Dora was safe in her room and the door bolted.
Dora implored to be released. How could she stay in her uncle"s house after such a scene? and she must get home quickly anyway, as Lucy knew.
Lucy took no notice at all of what she was saying.
"Look here." she said, breaking into the middle of Dora"s appeal, and speaking in an excited whisper--"he"s going to do him a mischief. I"m certain he is. That"s how he looks when he"s going to pay some one out. Now, what"s he going to do? I"ll know somehow--trust me!"
She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her arms behind her, supporting her, her little feet beating each other restlessly--a hot, vindictive anger speaking from every feature, every movement.
The pretty chit of seventeen seemed to have disappeared. Here was every promise of a wilful and obstinate woman, with more of her father"s stuff in her than anyone could have yet surmised.
A pang rose in Dora. She rose impulsively, and throwing herself down by Lucy, drew the ruffled, palpitating creature into her arms.
"Oh, Lucy, isn"t it only because you"re angry and vexed, and because you want to fight Uncle Purcell? Oh, don"t go on just for that! When we"re--we"re Christians, we mustn"t want our own way--we must give it up--_we must give it up._" Her voice sank in a burst of tears, and she drooped her head on Lucy"s, kissing her cousin"s brown hair.
Lucy extricated herself with a movement of impatience.
"When one _loves_ anybody," she said, sitting very upright and twisting her fingers together, "one must stick to him!"
Dora started at the word "love." It seemed to her a profanation.
She dried her eyes, and got up to go without another word.
"Well, Dora," said Lucy, frowning, "and so you"ll do nothing for me--_nothing_?"
Dora stood a moment in a troubled silence. Then she turned, and took gentle hold of her cousin.
"If I get a chance, Lucy, I"ll try and find out whether he"s thinking of marrying at all. And if he isn"t--and I"m sure he isn"t--will you give it all up, and try and live comfortable with Uncle Purcell, and think of something else?"
Her eyes had a tender, nay a pa.s.sionate entreaty in them.
"No!" said Lucy with energy; "but I"ll very likely drown myself in the river some fine night."
Dora still held her, standing above her, and looking down at her, trying hard to read her true mind. Lucy bore it defiantly for a minute; then suddenly two large tears rose. A quiver pa.s.sed over Dora"s face; she kissed her cousin quickly, and went towards the door.
"And I"ll find out what father"s going to do, or my name isn"t what it is!" said the girl behind her, in a shrill, shaking voice, as she closed the door.
Dora ran back to Market Place, filled with a presentiment that she was late, though the hand of the Cathedral clock was still far from three.
At the side door stood a woman with a shawl over her head, looking distractedly up the street.
"Oh, Miss Dora! Miss Dora! they"ve sent. He"s gooin--gooin quick.
An" he keeps wearyin" for "mither an" Miss Dora.""
The powerful scarred face had the tremulous helplessness of grief.
Dora took her by the arm.
"Let us run, Sarah--at once. Oh, never mind the work!"
The two women hurried through the crowded Sat.u.r.day streets. But halfway up Market Street Sarah stopped short, looking round her in an agony.
"Theer"s his feyther, Miss Dora. Oh, he wor a bad "un to me, but he had allus a soft spot for t" lad. I"d be reet glad to send worrud.
He wor theer in the ward, they tell"t me, last week."
Three years before she had separated from her husband, a sawyer, by mutual consent. He was younger than she, and he had been grossly unfaithful to her; she came of a good country stock and her daleswoman"s self-respect could put up with him no longer. But she had once been pa.s.sionately in love with him, and, as she said, he had been on the whole kind to the boy.
"Where is he?" said Dora.
"At Mr. Whitelaw"s yard, Edgell Street, Great Ancoats."
They had just entered the broad Infirmary Square. Dora, looking round her in perplexity, suddenly saw coming towards them the tall figure of David Grieve. The leap of the heart of which she was conscious through all her preoccupation startled her. But she went up to him without a moment"s hesitation. David, swinging along as though Manchester belonged to him, found himself arrested and, looking down, saw Dora"s pale and agitated face.