Emma replied. Her heart had completely sided with Robert Thomson now, and she was somewhat unhappy to hear her mother throwing cold water on him.
"You ungrateful child! I'm speaking up for you!" Mrs. Smith scolded her, tapping her finger on Emma's forehead. "It's better to think it through now than to regret it later! Robert, I want to hear just one thing today: if ever his background becomes an issue, will you stand by my daughter or just let things be? Or, if the Edwards family wants to take him away from you, what will you do?"
Robert looked at Emma and then at Thomas, who was sitting beside her. The little guy didn't understand why he had suddenly become the focus. With his level of comprehension, he couldn't grasp the complexities of adult relationships and could only stare wide-eyed at his mom and Uncle Thomson.
Emma too was a bit nervous, looking at Robert, as if she wanted to know his thoughts as well.
