"I will," said Mrs. Staunton. "There's nothing exactly worrying me," she said, after a pause Jingling the change in his hand he shook his head, "but still I feel a little bit anxious."
"You'll tell me, won't you?"
"You won't scold me, Effie?"
"As if I could, mother darling!"
"Well, perhaps I did a rash thing—poor dear George!—You know how devoted I am to him, Effie?"
"Oh, yes, mother darling, anyone can see that."
"Well, the fact is, I—I yielded to his entreaties. Perhaps I ought not to tell you, Effie—perhaps it will displease him."
"Yes, do tell me," said Effie. "There ought not to be any secrets in one's family. I ought to know—I will know. You are worried about something, and I will know what your burden is. What is it, mother?"
"I'll tell you in a few words. There's nothing in it, after all. Shortly after you left us, George persuaded me to put my money into the City Bank in his name. He said it seemed such folly to have two accounts for such very small sums."
"You did it?" said Effie, her face turning white.
"Yes, yes, I knew you would reproach me. I won't be reproached—I won't!"
"I will not say a word, dearest, dearest mother. Take my hand—your hand does shake so. Now tell me all about it."
"Oh, it's nothing, my love, really, only——"
"Yes, mother—only?"
"Only this morning I asked George to fill in a check for me before he went to town. He did so.147 It was for five pounds. He seemed vexed at my requiring so much, but I said I couldn't do with less, for there was the landlady to pay, and the butcher has been so troublesome with his bills. I couldn't do with less than five pounds, and George drew a check for me for that amount. I sent Aggie with it straight to the bank, and——"
Mrs. Staunton's face became very pale, her hand shook more violently than ever.
"Yes, mother?" said Effie.
"They sent it back. Effie, with 'No effects' written across the back. I am sure there must be a mistake, but they told Aggie that George had overdrawn his account, and that they couldn't cash this check—there were no effects, that was it."
