"I—I told you it was a mistake I made, and not a lie," said Harebell. "I couldn't explain properly; I really couldn't, Aunt Diana."
Tears came into her eyes. She was relieved that she was cleared of untruthfulness, but she still seemed to be in disgrace.
Then Mrs. Keith spoke more gently:
"I want to be fair with you, Harebell. I am deeply thankful to find that you did not tell me a lie, and to think that I can still trust your word. And for the present, I shall not send you to the school I intended for you. As I told you just now, if you had not come back of your own accord, I should still have done it. But as it is, Miss Forster will still continue to teach you. I am sorry to think that there is so little confidence between us that all this trouble has been the result. You ought to have told Peter at once that you could not withhold truth from me. You did not tell me an untruth, but you withheld the truth, and both are wrong. Do you understand me?"
"Not quite," said Harebell; "isn't it wrong to tell tales?"
"Not if it helps to deceive. Your not telling about Peter helped to deceive me; and I acted wrongly because of it. I want you to remember this, for people have made themselves and others very miserable because of it. If shielding one person makes another act unjustly, it is wrong. Now I shall say no more—you had better have some breakfast."
She stooped and kissed Harebell, then led her into the schoolroom, where some food was awaiting her.
Harebell began to feel much happier, and when her uncle came in presently, and told her how glad he was to hear that the mystery was all cleared up, she heaved a deep sigh and said:
"I feel as if a heavy weight has lifted out of my chest. And now that aunt has forgiven me, and I'm not going to school, may I tell you about Tom?"