John was
happy, Stephen was happy, and _she! She_ had absolutely no share in
their pleasure. They were not thinking of her. She was outside their
present life.
An intense jealousy of the boy took possession of her. She went home in
a passion of envy and suspicion. She was a good rider, but John in these
late years had never found time to give her a gallop, and indeed had
persuaded her to sell her pretty riding-horse and outfit. Yet Stephen
had a pony and she was sure John must have bought it. Stephen must have
been at the mill early. _Why?_ Then she recalled John's look of love and
pride in the boy, his watchful care over him, his laughter and apparent
cheerfulness.
She brooded over these things for some hours, then gave her thought
speech and in slow, icy tones said with intense feeling, "Of course, he
regards Stephen as the future master of Hatton Hall and Hatton factory.
He is always bringing Stephen and my Martha together. He intends them to
marry. They shall not. Martha is mine--she is Harlow"--then after a long
pause, "They are cousins.
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