Then John Ball asked her if she had had dinner, and when she did not
answer him he saw how it was.

"Mother," he said, "she has had no food all day; I will get it for
her."

"If she wants anything, the servants can bring it to her, John," said
the mother.

But he would not trust the servants in this matter, but went out
himself and fetched her meat and wine, and pressed her to take it,
and sat himself beside her, and spoke kind words into her ear, and at
last, in some sort, she was comforted.

CHAPTER XIX

Showing How Two of Miss Mackenzie's Lovers Behaved

Mr Ball, on his return home to the Cedars, had given no definite
answer to his mother's inquiries as to the day's work in London, and
had found it difficult to make any reply to her that would for the
moment suffice. She was not a woman easily satisfied with evasive
answers; but, nevertheless, he told her nothing of what had occurred,
and left her simply in a bad humour. This conversation had taken
place before dinner, but after dinner she asked him another question.

"John, you might as well tell me this; are you engaged to Margaret
Mackenzie?"

"No, I am not," said her son, angrily.

After that his mother's humour had become worse than before, and in
that state her niece had found her when she returned home in the
evening, and had suffered in consequence.

On the next morning Miss Mackenzie sent down word to say she was
not well, and would not come down to breakfast. It so happened that
John Ball was going into town on this day also, the Abednego Life
Office holding its board day immediately after that of the Shadrach
Fire Office, and therefore he was not able to see her before she
encountered his mother. Lady Ball went up to her in her bedroom
immediately after breakfast, and there remained with her for some
time. Her aunt at first was tender with her, giving her tea and only
asking her gentle little questions at intervals; but as the old
lady became impatient at learning nothing, she began a system of
cross-questions, and at last grew to be angry and disagreeable. Her
son had distinctly told her that he was not engaged to his cousin,
and had in fact told her nothing else distinctly; but she, when
she had seen how careful he had been in supplying Margaret's wants
himself, with what anxious solicitude he had pressed wine on her;
how he had sat by her saying soft words to her--Lady Ball, when she
remembered this, could not but think that her