Page:Between Two Loves.djvu/69

64 them; at any rate, his one anxiety was to make the cottage as pretty as possible for his bride. "And I'll trust it all to thee, Sarah," he said, with a calm, unconscious selfishness that roused in his sister's heart almost as much pity as anger. For she considered that he had been accustomed all his life to look upon her self-denial as his peculiar right, and, after all, it was like expecting consideration from a child to expect it from Steve.

"I'll hev everything as sweet and clean as hands can make 'em," she answered; "but, Steve, Joyce can do what she likes with t' room that will be empty up-stairs."

"What does ta mean, Sarah? Isn't ta going to keep thy own room? There's no fear but what Joyce will be varry pleasant wi' thee, and we'll get along varry contented together."

"Does ta really think I am going to bide on here?"

"To be sure I do. Why not?"

"My word! but thou is mistaken, then. Joyce and me hev nothing likely between us. She hesn't a pleasure above a new dress or a picnic, and she'll hev no end o' company here. I couldn't live among such carryings-on, not I.