"I hev chose for she a good husband, a man wi’ thirty-five shillings a week coming in, a cottage too and of quiet ways!"
"But if she does not love him?" Kathleen asked, and, remembering her own marriage, blushed red as a rose.
"Love him indeed, my lady, hev I not chose he for she? A good upstanding, upright man as ever was, to Church reg’lar twice a Sundays, walking in the fear of God, he du, and very respectable wi’ never a word to be heard against he—and—and——" Mrs. Hanson paused nervously and exhausted for the moment.
"But she is only a child! Betty, come here, Betty!"
"Betty, du ’ee hear her Ladyship a-speaking to ’ee?" cried the grandmother.
But Betty at the dresser, her back obstinately turned, did not move.
"There, there!" said Mrs. Hanson triumphantly, "’ee can see for yourself, my Lady, how bad and de-fiant and obstinant her du be—Oh Betty, shame on thee!" the old woman added, for Kathleen herself had risen and had gone across the room to the lonely little figure and all suddenly had put a kind arm about those heaving shoulders.
"Betty, Betty child, come and tell me all about it!" she said in that sweet gentle voice of hers that could break down any barrier of anger and defiance. And then Betty, knowing, feeling that here was a friend, broke down suddenly and giving way to the long threatening tears, laid her head against Kathleen’s breast and sobbed.
"I hate him, I hate him I du and fear him I du, My—my lady and grandmother be so bent on my marrying he and I, I can’t! Oh, I can’t bear it, I can’t and ’tis breaking my heart, it be, my—my Lady!"
"Hush, little one, don’t cry!" Kathleen said.
"Betty, I be mortal ashamed of ’ee, I be!" said Mrs. Hanson. "Mortal ashamed and all put about I be!"
"Please, Mrs. Hanson, let me speak to her!" said Kathleen. She drew Betty towards her chair, she sat down and held the girl’s hot little hand and looked into the pretty flushed tear stained face. Poor pretty child!
"And behaving she be like she were but seven!" said Mrs. Hanson. "A perilous bad——" she paused.
"Your grandmother says you must go, Betty!"
"Aye, I du, I du, and when I du say a thing, by that thing I du abide!" said Mrs. Hanson. "Go, I said, and go she shall! A very unrelenting woman I be!"