Page 187 - sons-and-lovers

which he treated the girl.
On the second day, when Lily said: ‘Oh, Annie, do you
know where I left my muff?’ William replied:
‘You know it is in your bedroom. Why do you ask An-
nie?’
And Lily went upstairs with a cross, shut mouth. But it
angered the young man that she made a servant of his sis-
ter.
On the third evening William and Lily were sitting to-
gether in the parlour by the fire in the dark. At a quarter to
eleven Mrs. Morel was heard raking the fire. William came
out to the kitchen, followed by his beloved.
‘Is it as late as that, mother?’ he said. She had been sit-
ting alone.
‘It is not LATE, my boy, but it is as late as I usually sit
up.’
‘Won’t you go to bed, then?’ he asked.
‘And leave you two? No, my boy, I don’t believe in it.’
‘Can’t you trust us, mother?’
‘Whether I can or not, I won’t do it. You can stay till elev-
en if you like, and I can read.’
‘Go to bed, Gyp,’ he said to his girl. ‘We won’t keep ma-
ter waiting.’
‘Annie has left the candle burning, Lily,’ said Mrs. Morel;
‘I think you will see.’
‘Yes, thank you. Good-night, Mrs. Morel.’
William kissed his sweetheart at the foot of the stairs,
and she went. He returned to the kitchen.
‘Can’t you trust us, mother?’ he repeated, rather offend-

1 Sons and Lovers