and Mrs. Harley proud of their child.
"Edith has her faults, as all girls have," wrote Miss Rachel; "but I may
tell you that ever since she came I have been pleased with her conduct.
She makes the best use of the advantages I am able to give her, and I
think you will find her much improved both in knowledge and deportment.
You had better have her home for a week or two, to see you and her
brothers and sisters, and then she can return, and consider my house her
home always. I make no doubt that you will be glad to yield her to me
permanently, but be good enough not to tell her how much I have said in
her favour. I don't want the child's head turned."
"It is very kind of Rachel," said Mrs. Harley, after reading this letter
for the third or fourth time. "I must say I never expected Edith to get
to the end of her six months, still less that she should gain so much
approval. She was always such a wild, harem-scarem girl at home."
"She only wanted looking after, my dear, and putting in a right way,"
said the doctor, in a true masculine spirit; and Mrs. Harley answered,
with her usual gentle little sigh:
"I don't think that was quite all. Maude and Jessie, who have been
brought up at home, have done well, you must admit. But I sometimes
think there is more in Edith--more strength of character and real
patience than we ever gave her credit for. You must excuse my saying so,
but she could never have borne with your sister so long if she had not
made a very great effort.
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