Possibly she could not avoid being the disagreeable person she was.

Kate smiled at her.
"Worse than that," she said.

"We be relations in a few days.

He's going to marry my sister Nancy Ellen next Tuesday." Kate understood the indistinct gurgle she heard to be approving, so she added: "He came after me early so I could go to Hartley and help get their new house ready for them to live in after the ceremony." "Did your father give them the house ?" asked Mrs.Holt eagerly.
"No.

Dr.Gray bought his home," said Kate.
"How nice! What did your father give them ?" Kate's patience was exhausted.