A day or two afterward, Edith asked her mother, with an abruptness that
sent the color to her face, “Where was my baby buried?”
“In our lot at Fairview,” was replied, after a moment's pause.
Edith said no more, but on that very day, regardless of a heavy rain
that was falling, went out to the cemetery alone and searched in the
family lot for the little mound that covered her baby--searched, but did
not find it. She came back so changed in appearance that when her mother
saw her she exclaimed,
“Why, Edith! Are you sick?”
“I have been looking for my baby's grave and cannot find it,” she
answered. “There is something wrong, mother. What was done with my baby?
I must know.” And she caught her mother's wrists with both of her hands
in a tight grip, and sent searching glances down through her eyes.
“Your baby is dead,” returned Mrs. Dinneford, speaking slowly and with
a hard deliberation. “As for its grave--well, if you will drag up the
miserable past, know that in my anger at your wretched _mesalliance_ I
rejected even the dead body of your miserable husband's child, and would
not even suffer it to lie in our family ground. You know how bitterly I
was disappointed, and I am not one of the kind that forgets or forgives
easily. I may have been wrong, but it is too late now, and the past may
as well be covered out of sight.”
“Where, then, was my baby buried?” asked Edith, with a calm resolution
of manner that was not to be denied.
“I do not know. I did not care at the time, and never asked.”
“Who can tell me?”
“I don't know.”
“Who took my baby to nurse?”
“I have forgotten the woman's name. All I know is that she is dead. When
the child died, I sent her money, and told her to bury it decently.”
“Where did she live?”
“I never knew precisely. Somewhere down town.”
“Who brought her here? who recommended her?” said Edith, pushing her
inquiries rapidly.
“I have forgotten that also,” replied Mrs. Dinneford, maintaining her
coldness of manner.
“My nurse, I presume,” said Edith. “I have a faint recollection of
her--a dark little woman with black eyes whom I had never seen before.
What was her name?”
“Bodine,” answered Mrs. Dinneford, without a moment's hesitation.
“Where does she live?”
“She went to Havana with a Cuban lady several months ago.”
“Do you know the lady's name?”
“It was Casteline, I think.”
Edith questioned no further. The mother and daughter were still sitting
together, both deeply absorbed in thought, when a servant opened the
door and said to Mrs. Dinneford,
“A lady wishes to see you.”
“Didn't she give you her card?”
“No ma'am.”
“Nor send up her name?”
“No, ma'am.”
“Go down and ask her name.”
The servant left the room. On returning, she said,
“Her name is Mrs. Bray.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account