It was due to no jealousy that she wished Maria removed, at least for a part of the time.

It was only that she was always conscious of a dissent, silent and helpless, still persistent, towards her attitude as regarded herself.

She knew that Maria did not think her as beautiful and perfect as she thought herself, and the constant presence of this small element of negation irritated her.

Then, too, while she was not in the least jealous of her child, she had a curious conviction that Maria cared more for her than she herself cared, and that in itself was a covert reproach.
When little Evelyn ran to meet her sister when she returned from school, Ida felt distinctly disturbed.

She had no doubt of her ultimate success in her purpose of ridding herself of at least the constant presence of Maria, and in the mean time she continued to perform her duty by the girl, to that outward extent that everybody in Edgham pronounced her a model step-mother.