Part 2 (1/2)
CHAPTER III
FRANK'S BEREAVEMENT
Early in the evening Mark made his appearance. Supper had been over for an hour, and everything was cold. In a house where there is sickness, the regular course of things is necessarily interrupted, and, because he could not have his wants attended to immediately, Mark saw fit to grumble and scold the servants. He was not a favorite with them, and they did not choose to be bullied.
Deborah, who had been in the house for ten years, and so a.s.sumed the independence of an old servant, sharply reprimanded the spoiled boy.
”You ought to be ashamed, Mr. Mark,” she said, ”of making such a fuss when my poor mistress lies upstairs at the point of death.”
”Do you know who you are talking to?” demanded Mark, imperiously, for he could, when speaking with those whom he regarded as inferiors, exchange his soft tones for a voice of authority.
”I ought to know by this time,” answered Deborah, contemptuously. ”There is no other in the house like you, I am glad to say.”
”You are very impertinent. You forget that you are nothing but a servant.”
”A servant has the right to be decently treated, Mr. Mark.”
”If you don't look out,” said Mark, in a bl.u.s.tering tone, ”I will report you to my father, and have you kicked out of the house.”
Deborah was naturally incensed at this rude speech, but she was spared the trouble of replying. Frank entered the room at this moment in time to hear Mark's last speech.
”What is this about being kicked out of the house?” he asked, looking from Mark to Deborah, in a tone of unconscious authority, which displeased his stepbrother.
”That is my business,” replied Mark, shortly.
”Mr. Mark has threatened to have me kicked out of the house because he has to wait for his supper,” said Deborah.
”It wasn't for that. It was because you were impertinent. All the same, I think it is shameful that I can't get anything to eat.”
”I regret, Mark,” said Frank, with cool sarcasm, ”that you should be inconvenienced about your meals. Perhaps you will excuse it, as my poor mother is so sick that she requires extra attention from the servants.
Deborah, if possible, don't let Mark wait much longer. It seems to be very important that he should have his supper.”
”He shall have it,” a.s.sured Deborah, rather enjoying the way in which Mark was put down; ”that is, if he don't get me kicked out of the house.”
”You had better not make any such threats in the future, Mark,” said Frank, significantly.
”Who's to hinder?” bl.u.s.tered Mark.
”I am,” answered Frank, pointedly.
”You are nothing but a boy like me,” retorted Mark.
”My mother is mistress here, and I represent her.”
”Things may change soon,” muttered Mark; but Frank had left the room and did not hear him.
Mark did not trouble himself even to inquire for his stepmother, but went out to the stable and lounged about until bedtime. He seemed very much bored, and so expressed himself.