"How is one to help one's-self? She has a way of whispering to Gertrude, and to her mother, when I am there, which almost kills me. 'If you'll only give me notice I'll go out of the room at once,' I said the other day, and they were all so angry." "I would not make them angry if I were you, Ayey." "Why not?" "Not Sir Thomas, or Aunt Emmeline." "I don't care a bit for Sir Thomas. I am not sure but he is the most good-natured, though he is so podgy. Of course, when Aunt Emmeline tells me anything I do it." "It is so important that you should be on good terms with them." "I don't see it at all," said Ayala, flashing round. "Aunt Emmeline can do so much for you. We have nothing of our own,--you and I." "Am I to sell myself because they have got money! No, indeed! No one despises money so much as I do. I will never be other to them than if I had the money, and they were the poor relations." "That will not do, Ayey." "I will make it do. They may turn me out if they like. Of course, I know that I should obey my aunt, and so I will. If Sir Thomas told me anything I should do it. But not Augusta." Then, while Lucy was thinking how she might best put into soft words advice which was so clearly needed, Ayala declared another trouble. "But there is worse still." "What is that?" "Tom!" "What does Tom do?" "You know Tom, Lucy?" "I have seen him." "Of all the horrors he is the horridest." "Does he order you about?" "No; but he--" "What is it, Ayey?" "Oh! Lucy, he is so dreadful. He--" "You don't mean that he makes love to you?" "He does. What am I to do, Lucy?" "Do they know it?" "Augusta does, I'm sure; and pretends to think that it is my fault. I am sure that there will be a terrible quarrel some day. I told him the day before we left Glenbogie that I should tell his mother. I did indeed. Then he grinned. He is such a fool. And when I laughed he took it all as kindness. I couldn't have helped laughing if I had died for it." "But he has been left behind." "Yes, for the present. But he is to come over to us some time after Christmas, when Uncle Tringle has gone back." "A girl need not be bothered by a lover unless she chooses, Ayey." "But it will be such a bother to have to talk about it. He looks at me, and is such an idiot. Then Augusta frowns. When I see Augusta frowning I am so angry that I feel like boxing her ears. Do you know, Lucy, that I often think that it will not do, and that I shall have to be sent away. I wish it had been you that they had chosen."