Her children lived as the children of
such mothers do: they played on the stairs or on the pavements, had
accidents, were always dirty, cried themselves to sleep in hunger
and pain. When Emma returned, still only fit for a convalescent
home, she had to walk about day after day in search of work,
conciliating the employers whom Mrs. Clay had neglected or
disgusted, undertaking jobs to which her strength was inadequate,
and, not least, striving her hardest to restore order in the
wretched home. It was agreed that Kate should use the machine at
home, whilst Emma got regular employment in a workroom.
Emma never heard of that letter which her sister wrote to Mutimer's
wife. Kate had no expectation that help would come of it; she hoped
that it had done Mutimer harm, and the hope had to satisfy her. She
durst not let Emma suspect that she had done such a thing.
Emma heard, however, of the loan from Daniel Dabbs, and afterwards
thanked him for his kindness, but she resolutely set her face
against the repetition of such favours, though Daniel would have
willingly helped when she came out of the hospital. Kate, of course,
was for accepting anything that was offered; she lost her temper,
and accused Emma of wishing to starve the children. But she was
still greatly under her sister's influence, and when Emma declared
that there must be a parting between them if she discovered that
anything was secretly accepted from Mr.
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