Free Concluding by Henry Green

She almost fell asleep.
     
    Later, when she was shown into the sanctum, Marchbanks still had the cat on her knee.
    "Sit here where I can see you," Ma said, pointing to an armchair set opposite the two great desks in full sunlight that beat through the windows and was hot. The girl at once became dazzled when she sat down.
    "Here," Marchbanks continued, getting to her feet with the cat in her hands, "I've put up with the lazy creature long enough, you take this." She made as if to lay Alice in Merode's lap. She carried the pet curled up as it had been lying, and she placed it just so, but with wide open azure eyes, over Merode's legs. But the girl did no more than move her blind hands to give the animal room, upon which, finding no welcome, Alice got up to stretch, jumped off, and left, tail in the air.
    "You never stroked poor puss," Marchbanks remarked, sad to see her plan miscarry.
    She got no answer.
    "Whose is it then, Merode?" she asked.
    "Why, Mr Rock's of course, Miss Marchbanks," the girl was shocked into replying. She had seen the creature so often out with him.
    "Because Miss Edge and Miss Baker are away you must call me ma'am," Marchbanks said. "Now I'm in charge for the moment. Which is why I sent for you, dear."
    The girl stayed silent, repeating inside her that she must never tell any of them anything.
    "Did you see Alice?" Ma Marchbanks next enquired. Once more Merode was surprised into an answer.
    "Why how d'you mean, Miss Marchbanks?"
    "Call me ma'am, Merode. Well now, she makes her way over the Park each morning to visit us, doesn't she? I think you may have come across her."
    "Not me, ma'am."
    "Dear, dear, how blind you children sometimes are. But there's no need to be obstinate, is there?"
    "Obstinate?" Merode echoed. "I haven't been."
    "Then what are you now, child?"
    "I really didn't notice puss, ma'am."
    "Well, what were you doing not to, dear?"
    "But I mightn't have been there, might I?" Merode defended herself, while at the same time a voice, inside, told her she was talking too much, too fast.
    "You never explained to me you weren't in the grounds all night, Merode."
    "But, ma'am, it was only I could've been in another part while Alice came by."
    "Where were you, then?"
    There was no answer. So Marchbanks tried again.
    "Whose cat is that, Merode?"
    "Why I said, ma'am. Mr Rock's."
    "Then how did you happen to be found by Elizabeth Rock?"
    "Alice wasn't there, I'm sure," the girl answered.
    "You're distinctly aggravating, child, and today's sure to be so busy. I'm terribly rushed. How is it you don't pay the slightest attention to what I'm trying to put?"
    Merode said nothing.
    "It's not fair on one," Marchbanks continued, then brought it out suddenly, in her ordinary voice, "Where's Mary?"
    To hear the name came as a frightful shock, and the student at once burst into more tears behind spread fingers which she splayed out over a bent face. At this reaction Miss Marchbanks felt her heart miss a beat, which gave her the old, sickening sensation she hated.
    "Good heavens," she said in a loud voice, to reassure herself, "don't work up into a passion. There's nothing wrong, is there?"
    She got no answer.
    "When did you last see Mary?"
    The girl went on crying, without reply. Miss Marchbanks would have left at that moment, to give her time to recover, but the child got a handkerchief out, which made the older woman think a lull was on the way.
    "Then something is rather wrong?" she asked.
    Merode did not respond. She seemed calmer.
    "Merode, is it particular? Are you ashamed?"
    "Oh no, Miss Marchbanks," the girl said, which somehow came as a comfort to both.
    "Well then, matters must be all right," the woman said brightly. "So there's nothing you feel you can't tell me?"
    Merode was mopping her nose by now. But she kept silent. "You see, my dear," the older woman went on, to bridge the silence, "you are putting me into such an awkward predicament. You're no longer a child," she said, disbelieving this. "You