It seemed not so much the fact that a girl would give up her reputation
for a man, that impressed Mrs Hankworth unpleasantly, but that she would
give it into the keeping of _such_ a man. She did not expect impossible
things of anybody. No one belonging to her had ever made a slip, and
such a happening seemed to be so remote a possibility for anyone
"connected," that she could spare great charity for the rest of the
world. Nor did she believe in "driving people." If a girl had made a
mistake, that was no reason why everyone else should make another, and
her good sense revolted against a perpetually drawn-out punishment for
any fault. Her disgust at this fault, not very deep, being submerged
almost as it arose, by the immediate necessity for doing something, and
a reminiscent understanding of the timidity and dread with which the
first child-bearing might be regarded by an ignorant and forsaken girl.
Her position as the reputable and capable mother of a family being
unassailable, no one could consider that kindness to the girl implied
any countenancing of her offence. Anne, puzzled and baffled by the
things which she had seen, felt herself in a larger sphere which could
consider the fact of birth as a small matter for everyday occurrence and
preparation, happen however it might.

"You can't do anything by worrying, Miss Hilton, you know," said Mrs
Hankworth. "You've got to wait. There's nothing _anybody_ can do but
wait. There's our John. I think he gets more nervous every child we
have. I always say to him that he can't help anything by worrying, and
in any case _I'm_ the person who's got to go through it; but it makes no
difference. He can't be satisfied till he sees me walking about again.
The girl'll be quite right when she's got the baby to work for. She's
nothing to do now but wait and think about it and herself. You'll see
when she's up and about again she'll be another thing. I hope the baby's