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''Yes, and they won't be so pleased to see you, neither. You be careful. They'll try to get Mrs. Bates to let you go." |
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"She likes young people, see? She never had chick nor child of her own, and she's taken to you." Gertrude looked at Linda keenly but without jealousy. "I don't have to worry. Between her and me it's differentlike an old shoe, I fit heralthough those two fools tried to ease me out too, saying she needed a younger woman to wait on her, that I couldn't keep up with the work now that she had been ill. She cleared that idea out of their heads fast enough." |
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"Butoh, Gertrude, they couldn't be such fools as that! They must know how long" |
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"Not them. They never met her till Mr. Bates got so sick. That was when Mr. Peter came back from America. You see, Mr. Bates didn't like the man his youngest sister marriedhe was right about it too, of course, but I don't hold with casting people off. That no-good went through her money and led her an awful life. Mr. Bates was strict, and he wouldn't forgive her. But when he was so sick and he knew he didn't have long, then Mrs. Bates got to him and he finally agreed that she could write to Mrs. Sotheby, and they made it up. I was always sorry for Mrs. Sotheby. Empty-headed little thing she always was. But those two, they take after their dadand I can't say worse." |
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"Thank you for letting me know," Linda said, without allowing any of her mental reservations |
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