She really must learn to read and write first.
When he had sworn this Mary became more uniformly affectionate; and as women who have been in service learn great self-government, and can generally please so long as it serves their turn, she made herself so agreeable to him that he began really to have a downright liking for her--a liking bounded, of course, by his incurable selfishness; but as for his hobby, that was on her side.
Now learning to read and write was wormwood to Mary Wells; but the prize was so great; she knew all about the Huntercombe estates, partly from her sister, partly from Bassett himself.

(He must tell his wrongs even to this girl.) So she resolved to pursue matrimony, even on the severe condition of becoming a scholar.

She set about it as follows: One day that she was doing Lady Bassett's hair she sighed several times.

This was to attract the lady's attention, and it succeeded.
"Is there anything the matter, Mary ?" "No, my lady." "I think there is." "Well, my lady, I am in a little trouble; but it is my own people's fault for not sending of me to school.

I might be married to-morrow if I could only read and write." "And can you not ?" "No, my lady." "Dear me! I thought everybody could read and write nowadays." "La, no, my lady! not half of them in our village." "Your parents are much to blame, my poor girl.