asked Una eagerly . `` Perhaps -- if he really wants me to , '' said Rosemary , blushing again . `` I 'm glad -- I 'm glad , '' said Una bravely . Then she looked up , with quivering lips . `` Oh , Miss West , you wo n't turn father against us -- you wo n't make him hate us , will you ? '' she said beseechingly . Rosemary stared again . `` Una Meredith ! Do you think I would do such a thing ? Whatever put such an idea into your head ? '' `` Mary Vance said stepmothers were all like that -- and that they all hated their stepchildren and made their father hate them -- she said they just could n't help it -- just being stepmothers made them like that '' -- `` You poor child ! And yet you came up here and asked me to marry your father because you wanted to make him happy ? You 're a darling -- a heroine -- as Ellen would say , you 're a brick . Now listen to me , very closely , dearest . Mary Vance is a silly little girl who does n't know very much and she is dreadfully mistaken about some things . I would never dream of trying to turn your father against you . I would love you all dearly . I do n't want to take your own mother 's place -- she must always have that in your hearts . But neither have I any intention of being a stepmother . I want to be your friend and helper and CHUM .
Do n't you think that would be nice , Una -- if you and Faith and Carl and Jerry could just think of me XXXXX a good jolly chum -- a big older sister ? ''
about against as if into like of that to with