All, in short, were eager to show her kindness if one would give her a home, but where was that one to be found?
Much of this talk came to Grizel through Tommy, and she told him in the house of Double Dykes that people need not trouble themselves about her, for she had no wish to stay with them.

It was only charity they brought her; no one wanted her for herself.

"It is because I am a child of shame," she told him, dry-eyed.
He fidgeted on his chair, and asked, "What's that ?" not very honestly.
"I don't know," she said, "no one will tell me, but it is something you can't love." "You have a terrible wish to be loved," he said in wonder, and she nodded her head wistfully.

"That is not what I wish for most of all, though," she told him, and when he asked what she wished for most of all, she said, "To love somebody; oh, it would be sweet!" To Tommy, most sympathetic of mortals, she seemed a very pathetic little figure, and tears came to his eyes as he surveyed her; he could always cry very easily.
"If it wasna for Elspeth," he began, stammering, "I could love you, but you winna let a body do onything on the sly." It was a vague offer, but she understood, and became the old Grizel at once.

"I don't want you to love me," she said indignantly; "I don't think you know how to love." "Neither can you know, then," retorted Tommy, huffily, "for there's nobody for you to love." "Yes, there is," she said, "and I do love her and she loves me." "But wha is she ?" "That girl." To his amazement she pointed to her own reflection in the famous mirror the size of which had scandalized Thrums.