She understood now.

Mother had known why Walter went to town but wouldn't tell her until the concert was over.
What spirit and endurance mother had! "I must stay here and see things through," said Rilla, clasping her cold hands together.
The rest of the evening always seemed like a fevered dream to her.

Her body was crowded by people but her soul was alone in a torture-chamber of its own.

Yet she played steadily for the drills and gave her readings without faltering.

She even put on a grotesque old Irish woman's costume and acted the part in the dialogue which Miranda Pryor had not taken.