England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Inheritance and succession -- Fiction
"If you mean that I will go to law on the chance of our receiving some
money which may have been left to us, certainly I will not. The fact is,
Lottie--you may think me very eccentric--but I cannot move in this
matter. It seems to me to be entirely God's matter, not ours. If Mr.
Harman has committed the dreadful sin you impute to him, God must bring
it home to him. Before that poor man who for years has hidden such a sin
in his heart, and lived such a life before his fellow-men, is fit to go
back to the arms of His father, he must suffer dreadfully. I pray, from
my heart I pray, that if he committed the sin he may have the suffering,
for there is no other road to the Father; but I cannot pray that this
awful suffering may be sent to give us a better house, and our children
finer clothes, and that richer food may be put on our table."
Mrs. Home was silent for a moment, then she said,--
"Angus, forgive me, I did not look at it in that light."
"No, my dearest, and because I so pity her, if her father really is
guilty, I do not want you unnecessarily to pain Miss Harman. You
remember my telling you of that fine girl I met in Regent's Park
yesterday, the girl who was so kind and nice to our children. I have
just been up with Harold, and he tells me that your Miss Harman and his
pretty lady are one and the same."
"Is that really so?" answered Mrs. Home. "Yes. I know that Charlotte
Harman is very attractive. Did I not tell you, Angus, that she had won
my own heart? But I confess when I saw those gifts and read her note I
felt angry. I thought after hearing my tale she should have done more.
These presents seemed to me in the light of a bribe."
"Charlotte!"
"Ah! I know you are shocked. You cannot see the thing with my eyes; that
is how they really looked to me."
"Then, my dear wife, may I give you a piece of advice?"
"That is what I am hungering for, Angus."
"Tell the whole story, as frankly--more frankly than you have told it to
me, to God to-night. Lay the whole matter in the loving hands of your
Father, then, Charlotte; after so praying, if in the morning you still
think Miss Harman was actuated by so mean a spirit, treat her as she
deserves. With your own hands deal the punishment to her, send
everything back."
Mrs. Home's face flushed very brightly, and she lowered her eyes to
prevent her husband seeing the look of shame which filled them. The
result of this conversation was the following note written the next
morning to Miss Harman.
I could not have thanked you last night for what you have done,
but I can to-day. You have won my children's little hearts. Be
thankful that you have made my dear little ones so happy. You ask
to see me again, Miss Harman. I do not think I can come to you, and
I don't ask you to come here. Still I will see you; name some
afternoon to meet me in Regent's Park and I will be there.
Yours,
CHARLOTTE HOME.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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