In the event of a favourable answer, the
doctor said he would himself drive Daisy over, and would call
for that purpose in another hour or two. He delivered his
message, and Mrs. Randolph replied at once that Daisy could
not go; she could not permit it.
Mr. Randolph saw the flush of hope and disappointment on
Daisy's face and the witness of another kind in her eyes;
though with her characteristic steady self-control she neither
moved nor spoke, and suffered the tears to come no further.
Dr. Sandford saw it too, but he said nothing. Mr. Randolph
spoke.
"Is that decision on account of Daisy's supposed delinquency
in that matter?"
"Of course —" Mrs. Randolph answered, dryly.
"Can you explain it, Daisy?" her father asked, gravely, and
kindly drawing her up to his side. Daisy struggled with some
thought.
"Papa," she said, softly, "will mamma be satisfied to punish
me and let it go so?"
"Let it go how?"
"Would she be satisfied with this punishment, I mean, and not
make me say anything more about it?"
"I should not. I intend to know the whole. Can you explain
it?"
"I think I can, papa," Daisy said, but with a troubled
unwillingness, her father saw. He saw too that it was not the
unwillingness of a troubled conscience.
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