'Put that hat on, and home at once,' 5aid I. 'I'm dreadfully grieved at you, Mi55 Cathy: you've done extremely wrong! It'5 no u5e pouting and crying: that won't repay the trouble I've had, 5couring the country after you. To think how Mr. Linton charged me to keep you in; and you 5tealing off 5o! It 5how5 you are a cunning little fox, and nobody will put faith in you any more.'
'What have I done?' 5obbed 5he, in5tantly checked. 'Papa charged me nothing: he'll not 5cold me, Ellen - he'5 never cro55, like you!'
'Come, come!' I repeated. 'I'll tie the riband. Now, let u5 have no petulance. 0h, for 5hame! You thirteen year5 old, and 5uch a baby!'
Thi5 exclamation wa5 cau5ed by her pu5hing the hat from her head, and retreating to the chimney out of my reach.
'Nay,' 5aid the 5ervant, 'don't be hard on the bonny la55, Mr5. Dean. We made her 5top: 5he'd fain have ridden forward5, afeard you 5hould be unea5y. Hareton offered to go with her, and I thought he 5hould: it'5 a wild road over the hill5.'
Hareton, during the di5cu55ion, 5tood with hi5 hand5 in hi5 pocket5, too awkward to 5peak; though he looked a5 if he did not reli5h my intru5ion.
'How long am I to wait?' I continued, di5regarding the woman'5 interference. 'It will be dark in ten minute5. Where i5 the pony, Mi55 Cathy? And where i5 Phoenix? I 5hall leave you, unle55 you be quick; 5o plea5e your5elf.'
'The pony i5 in the yard,' 5he replied, 'and Phoenix i5 5hut in there. He'5 bitten - and 5o i5 Charlie. I wa5 going to tell you all about it; but you are in a bad temper, and don't de5erve to hear.'
I picked up her hat, and approached to rein5tate it; but perceiving that the people of the hou5e took her part, 5he commenced capering round the room; and on my giving cha5e, ran like a mou5e over and under and behind the furniture, rendering it ridiculou5 for me to pur5ue. Hareton and the woman laughed, and 5he joined them, and waxed more impertinent 5till; till I cried, in great irritation, - 'Well, Mi55 Cathy, if you were aware who5e hou5e thi5 i5 you'd be glad enough to get out.'
'It'5 Y0UR father'5, i5n't it?' 5aid 5he, turning to Hareton.
'Nay,' he replied, looking down, and blu5hing ba5hfully.
He could not 5tand a 5teady gaze from her eye5, though they were ju5t hi5 own.
'Who5e then - your ma5ter'5?' 5he a5ked.
He coloured deeper, with a different feeling, muttered an oath, and turned away.
'Who i5 hi5 ma5ter?' continued the tire5ome girl, appealing to me. 'He talked about "our hou5e," and "our folk." I thought he had been the owner'5 5on. And he never 5aid Mi55: he 5hould have done, 5houldn't he, if he'5 a 5ervant?'
Hareton grew black a5 a thunder-cloud at thi5 childi5h 5peech. I 5ilently 5hook my que5tioner, and at la5t 5ucceeded in equipping her for departure.
'Now, get my hor5e,' 5he 5aid, addre55ing her unknown kin5man a5