Louisa did not believe she would dare to go . But Mary Isabel did not quail . Defiance was not so hard after all , once you had begun . Mary Isabel went to town and she went alone . She spent the whole delightful day in the shops , unhampered by Louisa 's scorn and criticism in her examination of all the pretty things displayed . She selected a hat she felt sure Tom would like -- a pretty crumpled grey straw with forget-me-nots and ribbons . Then she bought a grey silk of a lovely silvery shade . When she got back home she unwrapped her packages and showed her purchases to Louisa . But Louisa neither looked at them nor spoke to Mary Isabel . Mary Isabel tossed her head and went to her own room . Her draught of freedom had stimulated her , and she did not mind Louisa 's attitude half as much as she would have expected . She read Tom 's letter over again to fortify herself and then she dressed her hair in a fashion she had seen that day in town and pulled out all the little curls on her forehead . The next day she took the silver-grey silk to the Latimer dressmaker and picked out a fashionable design for it . When the silk dress came home , Louisa , who had thawed out somewhat in the meantime , unbent sufficiently to remark that it fitted very well . `` I am going to wear it to the induction tomorrow , '' Mary Isabel said , boldly to all appearances , quakingly in reality . She knew that she was throwing down the gauntlet for good and all . If she could assert and maintain her independence in this matter Louisa 's power would be broken forever . * * * * * Twelve years before this , the previously mentioned schism had broken out in the Latimer church . The minister had sided with the faction which Louisa Irving opposed . She had promptly ceased going to his church and withdrew all financial support .
She paid XXXXX the Marwood church , fifteen miles away , and occasionally she hired a team and drove over there to service .
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