He turned sharply away, muttering, 'She is coming to bother, now!'

It cut her to the heart. 'Gilbert!' was all she could exclaim, but
the tone of pain made him look at her, as if in spite of himself, and
as he saw the tears he exclaimed in an impatient voice of rude
consolation, 'There's nothing to take so much to heart. No one
thinks anything of it!'

'What would Edmund have thought?' said Albinia; but the appeal came
too soon, he made an angry gesture and said, 'He was nearly three
years younger than I am now! He would not have been kept in these
abominable leading-strings.'

She was too much shocked to find an answer, and Gilbert went on,
'Watched and examined wherever I go--not a minute to myself--nothing
but lessons at Tremblam, and bother at home; driven about hither and
thither, and not allowed a friend of my own, nor to do one single
thing! There's no standing it, and I won't!'

'I am very sorry,' said Albinia, struggling with choking tears. 'It
has been my great wish to make things pleasant to you. I hope I have
not teased or driven you to--'

'Nonsense!' exclaimed Gilbert, disrespectfully indeed, but from the
bottom of his heart, and breaking at once into a flood of tears.
'You are the only creature that has been kind to me since I lost my
mother and Ned, and now they have been and turned you against me
too;' and he sobbed violently.

'I don't know what you mean, Gilbert. If I stand in your mother's