Liberty, you know, is a
dangerous joy for the young."
"Then we must be more strict with her ourselves," said Lady Grace.
CHAPTER X
THE HOUSE OF BONDAGE
Dinah ran swiftly down the corridor to her own room.
As a matter of fact, she had intruded upon the Colonel and Lady Grace in
the secret hope of finding a propitious moment for once again pressing
her request to be allowed to accept Scott's invitation to tea. Her
failure to do so added fuel to the flame, arousing in her an almost
irresistible impulse to rebel openly.
The fear of consequences alone restrained her, for to be escorted home in
disgrace after only a week in this Alpine paradise was more than she
could face. All her life the dread of her mother's wrath had overhung
Dinah like a cloud, sometimes near, sometimes distant, but always
present. She had been brought up to fear her from her cradle. All through
her childhood her punishments had been bitterly severe. She winced still
at the bare thought of them; and she was as fully convinced as was Lady
Grace that her mother had never really loved her. To come under the ban
of her displeasure meant days of harsh treatment, nor, now that her
childhood was over, had the discipline been relaxed. She never attempted
to rebel openly. Her fear of her mother had become an integral part of
herself. Her spirit shrank before her fits of violence.
Pages:
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100