As for loving him, as other children seemed to love their fathers; that the girl never did.

She was sure he did not love her in that way, and that he would not have welcomed demonstrations of affection on her part.

She had learned the reason, or she thought she had: she was a STEPCHILD; that was why, and a stepchild was almost as bad as a "changeling" in a fairy story.
Her mother she remembered dimly and with that recollection were memories of days when she was loved and made much of, not only by Mother, but by Captain Hall also.

She asked Mrs.Bailey, whom she had loved and whose leaving was the greatest grief of her life, some questions about these memories.

Mrs.Bailey had hugged her and had talked a good deal about Captain Hall's being a changed man since his wife's death.