"I'll stay with you still, Percival," she said, "and look after things a bit for you, as I have been doing for your brother.

It is an awful shock, and we must all have time to get over it.
If I had only foreseen this, how I might have spared my temper and poor Maude's feelings!" She looked out of the corner of her eye at the young man; but he betrayed no curiosity to hear more, and she went on unasked.
"You know, Val, for a portionless girl, as Maude is, it was a great blow to me when I found her fixing her heart upon a younger son.

How cross and unjust it made me I couldn't conceal: mothers are mothers.

I wanted her to take a fancy to Hartledon, dear fellow, and I suppose she could not, and it rendered me cross; and I know I worried her and worried my own temper, till at times I was not conscious of what I said.

Poor Maude! she did not rebel openly, but I could see her struggles.