"Uncle, I want to get away--out of this--at once.No, they aren't horrid to me.Every one's been very kind.But I'm afraid of it all--of never getting out of it--and I want to be independent..." She stopped with a little breathless gasp because she heard the hall-door close."Ah, they're here! Don't tell them anything.We'll talk afterwards..."His eyes glittered with satisfaction."I knew you would, my dear.
I knew you wouldn't be able to stand it...I'll get you out of it...Trust me!"The door opened and Aunt Anne came in.She had been prepared by Martha for her visitor, and she came forward to him now with the dignity and kindly patronage of some lady abbess receiving the miscreant and boorish yokel of a neighbouring village.And yet how fine she was! As Maggie watched her, she thought of what she would give to have some of that self-command and dignity and decision.Was it her religion that gave her that? Or only her own self-satisfaction? No; there was something behind Aunt Anne, something stronger than she, something that Mr.Warlock also knew...and it was this something that Uncle Mathew met with his own hostility as he looked up now at his sister and greeted her:
"Why, Mathew! You never told us.I would have hurried back, and now Elizabeth, I'm afraid, has gone on to see some friends.She will be so disappointed.But at least you've had Maggie to entertain you."A quick glance was exchanged between uncle and niece.
"Yes," he said, "we've had a talk, Anne, thank you.And it doesn't matter about Elizabeth, because I'm staying close here in Henrietta Street, and I'll be in again if I may.I just looked in to ask whether Maggie might come and have dinner with me at my little place to-night.It's a most respectable place--I'll come and fetch her, of course, and bring her back afterwards."Of course Aunt Anne could not refuse, but oh! how Maggie saw that she wanted to! The battle that followed was silent.Uncle Mathew's eyes narrowed themselves to fiery malicious points; he dropped them and moved his feet restlessly on the soft carpet.