There was a bright fire on the hearth when she entered his room, and in
the daylight she saw it was a very beautiful room indeed. There were
rich colors in the rugs and hangings and pictures and books on the
walls which made it look glowing and comfortable even in spite of the
gray sky and falling rain. Colin looked rather like a picture himself.
He was wrapped in a velvet dressing-gown and sat against a big brocaded
cushion. He had a red spot on each cheek.
Come in, he said. I ve been thinking about you all morning.
I ve been thinking about you, too, answered Mary. You don t know how
frightened Martha is. She says Mrs. Medlock will think she told me
about you and then she will be sent away.
He frowned.
Go and tell her to come here, he said. She is in the next room.
Mary went and brought her back. Poor Martha was shaking in her shoes.
Colin was still frowning.
Have you to do what I please or have you not? he demanded.
I have to do what you please, sir, Martha faltered, turning quite
red.
Has Medlock to do what I please?
Everybody has, sir, said Martha.
Well, then, if I order you to bring Miss Mary to me, how can Medlock
send you away if she finds it out?
Please don t let her, sir, pleaded Martha.
I ll send _her_ away if she dares to say a word about such a thing,
said Master Craven grandly. She wouldn t like that, I can tell you.
Thank you, sir, bobbing a curtsy, I want to do my duty, sir.
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