She was the same as usual in her manner to them—kind and sisterly. But I could not help noticing that she no longer allowed a certain brotherly boyish freedom, which before had been natural enough. I saw Cress one day carelessly grasp her arm to enforce something he was saying, just as he might have done to Cherry. Maimie removed his hand, and drew back a step, looking at him gravely, in a way that could not be mistaken. Cress flung himself away in a pet; but from that moment his bearing towards her combined respect with admiration. There was no fear of Jack attempting to take any liberties. He never had thought and never did think of Maimie with merely a brotherly affection; and his manly strength made him gentle to all women and girls. To Maimie, of course, he was especially so. I wondered sometimes whether she noted, and in any degree appreciated, his patient reverent devotion.
Jack said not a word to me about his trouble after our brief meeting in Bushey Park; and I doubted much whether I could with wisdom be the first to speak. At all events, I resolved not to do so hastily. He went and came as usual; and worked and ate and talked as at other times. But I knew every turn of expression in Jack’s face; and I knew life was changed for him since that day.
I noticed that the evening readings were given up. Maimie made the excuse of feeling unsettled, and not knowing what her father meant her to do. Jack did not protest; but he locked up his books, and made no pretence at reading by himself.
More than a week passed thus. Then one day it came about that Jack and I had an evening alone together. It was a lovely evening, and everybody else had gone out. I was too tired to walk; and presently Jack came listlessly into the room, and sat down to watch me, just in his old style, propping his chin on his hands, and doing nothing.
“Don’t you mean to read this evening, Jack?” I asked quietly, though a little alarmed at my own boldness.
“Maimie has given it up,” Jack said, in a gloomy tone.
“She says she feels too unsettled.”
“Oh, it isn’t that. I know better.”
“And you cannot keep on for a time without her help?”
“It isn’t worth while. Nothing is worth doing.”