Clara Kingscott, when Mrs Hartshorne sent her away from The Poplars in that ignominious manner, telling her she did not require her services any further, was more than half inclined not to prosecute her design against Markworth in revealing her share in inducing Susan to go away with him, out of pure spite against the old dowager. "I'll make the old cat pay for it," she said to herself. "If I don't prove anything against Markworth she'll have to pay him all that money, and she shall too!" But after some deliberation in the matter Miss Kingscott saw that she would, according to the proverb, "be biting off her nose to spite her face," and surrendering her long cherished revenge from a mere passing pique. It would never do; she thought she had been cold and calculating enough to achieve her purpose, and here she was going off at a tangent and sacrificing all she looked and hoped for these many years but for a petty loss of temper. No, she might be sent away from The Poplars, but she would still achieve that grand purpose of her life, and no regret at benefitting the harsh old woman she called her mistress should prevent her from ruining Markworth. That she had sworn, and would stick to. She took some temporary satisfaction out of the old dowager by abusing her to her heart's content to her face, so astonishing that worthy lady, who had not had a person exchange retorts with her for years, that Miss Kingscott made her exit with flying colours just shortly before Tom started off for Abyssinia. No one was very much grieved at her departure, except the old doctor, who said it was "A dooced shame sending away a poor girl like that, marm!" to the mistress of The Poplars, who told him in reply to mind his own business, and not to "be dancing to her house" any more, as he "had nothing and nobody to dance there for now, thank goodness!" The doctor had held his peace, and went his way a wiser if a sadder man, saying unto himself, "Bless my soul! It's an infernal shame, and she's a dooced fine girl, and it's a great pity," after taking an affecting adieu of his late love, whom he commanded to have no scruples about writing to him in case she wanted any assistance. You see the old lady was present all the while, and the doctor could not repeat his declaration in her presence, however much he may have been tempted so to do.