"How can I bear it? How shall I be able? Oh, grandfather—oh, grandfather—so utterly alone! Must I stay? It is my home, but so different now! Everything altered! I cannot understand; but I must ask the Fitzalans—not Harvey. Those people to live here, and I not even told! Oh, it was cruel of Harvey—cruel of everybody. And Julia the mistress! Yes, I suppose so; but I did not see before what it meant. O God—oh, God, must I bear it?"
Then there came a sharp struggle with a very storm of sobs, which seemed almost as if they must rend the slight figure. Hermione writhed and bent beneath the agony, yet pride was strong, and she would not yield. Mrs. Trevor and Julia might not, should not, see that she had been weeping; and she did not weep. Not a tear was allowed to force its way from her eyes. The strife was soon over. Strange to say, Hermione did not pray, as one might have expected. She spoke half aloud, to herself, as it were, with but that one brief appeal which could hardly be termed prayer; and then, having conquered the bout of strong emotion, she stood up, going to the looking-glass.
"No, they will not know," she murmured, examining the face reflected there. She even smiled gently to herself. "Yes, that will do. I shall not be overcome now."
Five minutes later she was passing alone through the garden on her way to the Rectory.
[CHAPTER XVI.]
AN INTERVIEW.
"MISS RIVERS wishes to see you, sir."
"Miss Rivers!" The Rector was rather astonished, knowing how short a time had passed since the arrival of the travellers. "A messenger from Miss Rivers, do you mean?"
"No, sir; Miss Rivers is here, her very own self," the girl answered with emphasis, as if appreciating his surprise. "And Miss Marjory is out with Mr. Harry; but Miss Rivers says it don't matter, because she don't want to see nobody except you, sir."
"Show Miss Rivers in here."