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This decided Mavis to act upon a resolve that, had been formulating in her mind while waiting for Mrs Trivett's return. "Give me half an hour," she said to the sullen Gunner. "I'll make it well worth your while." She then went upstairs to kiss her baby before setting out. "Where are you going, ma'am?" asked tearful Mrs Trivett, who had followed her upstairs. "To Mr Devitt. He's kind at heart.
"It's the anniversary of the day on which I first met Trivett, and I've made a moorhen and rabbit-pie to celebrate it," declared Mrs Trivett. Mavis was a little surprised at this piece of information, but she very soon learned that Mrs Trivett's life was chiefly occupied with the recollection and celebration of anniversaries of any and every event which had occurred in her life.
She was borne down by an overwhelming torrent of suffering; she flung herself upon the parapet and cried helplessly aloud. Someone touched her arm. She turned, to see Trivett's homely form. "I can't bear it: I can't, I can't!" she cried. Trivett looked pitifully distressed for a few moments before saying: "Would you like me to play?" Mavis nodded.
She brought out, instead, the letter the foreman had put into her hand when she was leaving in reply to Mrs Trivett's summons. The envelope of this was addressed in Mr Devitt's hand. "Here's a letter from him here," declared Mavis, as she tore it open to glance at its contents before passing it on to Hutton.
When anyone came into the office, she seemed in a fever of apprehension; also, when anyone spoke to Mavis, her friend would at once approach and speak in such a manner as to send them about their business as soon as possible. Mavis wondered what it could mean. Her boy did not seem quite so well when she got back to Mrs Trivett's for the midday meal.
Mavis made up her mind to call in a doctor if he were not better in the morning. When she was dressing, the baby seemed calmer and more inclined to sleep, therefore she had small compunction in leaving him in Mrs Trivett's motherly arms when, some two hours later, she left the Broughton Road for the boot factory. Miss Toombs was already at the office when she got there.
Her lover's home was unusually illuminated to-night unusually, because, at other times, when she had passed it, only one or two lights had been visible, Major Perigal living the life of a recluse who disliked intercourse with his species. Half an hour later, Mavis was putting her baby to bed at Mrs Trivett's.
Mavis, remembering Mrs Budd's behaviour to her, could scarcely keep back a smile; it was the first time since her illness that anything had appeared at all amusing. But this was not the sum of Mrs Trivett's resentment against Mrs Budd. After the meal was over, she rejoined Mavis with perspiration dropping from her forehead.
Mr Trivett solemnly shook his head. "What does that mean?" "It's hard to zay. But from what I zee an' from what I hear tell, he be a deal too clever." "Isn't that an advantage nowadays?" "Often. But he's quarrelled with his feyther and zoon gets tired of everything he takes up." Trivett's remarks increased Mavis' sympathy for Perigal.
Let me know the worst!" gasped the terror-stricken girl. Mavis was told that her baby was ill with diphtheria; also, that a broker's man was in possession at Mrs Trivett's. "Will he get over it?" was Mavis's next question. "It's for a lot of money. It's just on thirty pounds." "I mean my boy." "The doctor has hopes. He's coming in again presently."
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