Chapter 9: Daisy, Carson and Mrs. Hughes
Daisy knocked on Mr. Carson's office door.
"Come in", he said from within.
Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes had been having a conversation in hushed tones.
"I didn't mean to interrupt", Daisy said nervously.
"Never mind, Daisy, come on in", Mr. Carson said.
"Only I wanted to say somethin' bout Thomas," she said nervously.
They both looked surprised.
"Daisy, I'm sure you've heard rumors but they're nothing," Mrs. Hughes began.
"I know what he's done," Daisy spoke up.
They both looked shocked.
"Who told you?" Mrs. Hughes asked.
Daisy tried to look taller. "I know things," she said.
They both stared at her with raised eyebrows.
"Oh all right, I overheard," Daisy said, shoulders slumping.
She didn't overhear- a housemaid had filled her in, but Daisy thought it would be all right to tell just a little white lie, to keep the maid from being scolded.
"What Thomas done were wrong, but he don't have to be sacked, do he?" Daisy pleaded.
Mr. Carson took a deep breath. "Thomas's fate has not been decided. But-"
"Oh Mr. Carson...he's not a bad person, truly he isn't...couldn't he just promise you that he won't ever do it again?"
Mr. Carson said, "I understand, Daisy. I would be quite appreciative if Thomas were to make a solemn vow that he would not engage in that sort of behavior,"
He took a deep breath before he continued-
"And if he made a concentrated effort to stay on the right path, no one would encourage him in that endeavor more than I. As it stands, though-"
Mrs. Hughes turned to Daisy and spoke gently. "Daisy, even if he were willing to make that promise, it would only be a matter of time before he'd slip up."
Daisy responded, "I don't see why though. I'm sure he could do it! I mean, it shouldn't be hard for him to stop, after all, it's so against nature…"
"Unfortunately, it seems that it is his nature," Mr. Carson said, displeased.
"I'm not sayin' it weren't wrong. Course it were wrong, anyone could see that. And I don't feel sorry for him, not exactly," she said. "I don't understand him, and I know it weren't right. But I hate to see him turned out."
"Daisy," Mrs. Hughes said kindly, "It is admirable that you want to take up for Thomas, despite everything, but we can't keep him on simply because we feel sorry for him."
Daisy looked down, saddened.
Mr. Carson still looked quite unhappy. "I had hoped the ladies wouldn't have to hear about such things…so I want to tell you, Daisy, that I'm sorry you had to be made aware of these goings-on. One problem with all of this is that people who had no idea of such immorality have now had their innocent minds corrupted."
Daisy turned to go. "I don't feel corrupted, Mr. Carson. True, I didn't know about it before, but…well, sin is sin. I'm a sinner too, I am. Don't it say in the good Book that all sin's the same? God said if you even look at a woman with lust you've already committed adultery in your heart. And if you even get angry with a person it's the just same as if you've committed a murder. That means any of us have done just as bad as Thomas, don't it?"
"Well..." Mr. Carson tried to think of a response.
"Like it say in the book of Matthew, why point out the sawdust in your brother's eye when you've got a plank in your own?"
Mr. Carson smiled sadly at her. "How right you are. Thank you, Daisy."
Daisy closed the door behind her.
After Daisy left, Mrs. Hughes said with a hint of amusement, "It isn't like Daisy to come in here so boldly."
But then Mrs. Hughes turned to Mr. Carson and said seriously, "She is right, you know. None of us can claim to be without sin. Whatever we think of Thomas Barrow, whose to say that in God's eyes, any of us are better than him?"
Mr. Carson took a deep breath. "Out of the mouths of babes, as they say. I too am humble before God and admit that I am a sinner."
Mrs. Hughes sighed. "We all are, I suppose."