Part 37 (1/2)
”I will never do it,” said Maggie--”never! Two queens in the school means little or nothing at all. All it does mean is that I have special friends whom I can influence, and whom I love to influence, and you have special friends whom you love to influence. Well, go on influencing them as hard as ever you can, and I will do the same with my friends. Your cousins will belong to you. I could, I believe, have won Merry Cardew to my side, but I am not going to do so.”
”It would be very unwise of you,” said Aneta in a low tone. ”Very well, Maggie,” she added after a pause, ”if you won't give up being queen in the minds of a certain number of girls, I must, of course, continue my influence on the other side. It's a great pity, for we might all work together.”
”We never could work together,” said Maggie with pa.s.sion. ”It is but to talk to you, Aneta, to know how you despise and hate me.”
”I neither despise nor hate you, Maggie.”
”Well, I despise and hate you, so I suppose it comes to the same thing.”
”I am very, very sorry, Maggie. Some day, perhaps, you will know me as I really am.”
”I know you now as you really are--eaten up with pride of birth, and with no sympathy at all for girls a trifle poorer than yourself.”
”You speak with cruelty, and I am sorry.”
To Aneta's astonishment, Maggie's face underwent a queer change. It puckered up in an alarming manner, and the next moment the girl burst into tears.
The sight of Maggie's tears immediately changed Aneta Lysle's att.i.tude. Those tears were genuine. Whether they were caused by anger or by sorrow she did not stop to discriminate. The next minute she was down on her knees by the other girl and had swept her young arms round Maggie's neck.
”Maggie, Maggie, what is it? Oh, if you would only understand me!”
”Don't!--don't touch me!” said Maggie. ”I am a miserable girl!”
”And I have hurt you, poor Maggie!” said Aneta. ”Oh, I am terribly sorry! Sit here now, and let me comfort you.”
”Oh! I can't, Aneta. You don't understand me--not a bit.”
”Better than you think, perhaps; and I am terribly sorry you are troubled. Oh, perhaps I know. I was told to-night that your mother had married again. You are unhappy about that?”
Maggie immediately dried her fast-falling tears. She felt that she was in danger. If Aneta found out, or if Mrs. Ward found out, who Maggie's stepfather was, she would certainly not be allowed to stay at Aylmer House. This was her dread of all dreads, and she had so managed matters with her mother that Mrs. Ward knew nothing at all of Mrs.
Howland's change of name.
”Yes, my mother is married again,” said Maggie. ”She is a rich woman now; but the fact is, I dearly loved my own father, and--it hurt me very much to see another put into his place.”
”Of course it did,” said Aneta, with deep sympathy; ”it would have driven me nearly wild. Does Mrs. Ward know that your mother is married again, Maggie?”
”Well, I haven't told her; and, please, Aneta, will you promise me not to do so?”
”But is there any occasion to keep it a secret, dear?”
”I would so much rather she did not know. She received me here as Maggie Howland. I am Maggie Howland still; my mother having changed her name makes no difference, except, indeed, that she is very well off, whereas she was poor.”
”Well, that of course is a comfort to you,” said Aneta. ”Perhaps by-and-by you will learn to be glad that your mother has secured the care of a good husband. I am told that she has married one of those very nice Martyns who live in Warwicks.h.i.+re. Is that true?”
Maggie nodded. She hated herself after she had given that inclination of her head; but she had done it now, and must abide by it. To own Martin the grocer as a stepfather was beyond her power.
Aneta did not think it specially necessary to worry about Maggie's mother and her new husband. She said that the whole thing was Maggie's own affair; and, after trying to comfort the girl for a little longer, she kissed Maggie, and went to her own room. When there, she went at once to bed and fell fast asleep.
But Maggie sat for a long time by her open window. ”What an awful and ridiculous position I have put myself in!” she thought. ”The Martyns of The Meadows and Bo-peep of Laburnum Villa to be connected! I could almost scream with laughter if I were not also inclined to scream with terror. What an awful idea to get into people's heads, and now I have, confirmed it! Of course I shall be found out, and things will be worse than ever.”