Much more she said in the dusky twilight, and though Miss Lorraine's heart ached for the girl's distress, she could not but be thankful that she had not sunk under the demoralising influence of her Parisian life.
When dinner-time came, Jean recovered herself, but her white cheeks and dark circles round her eyes told of her fatigue.
She talked of other matters for the rest of the evening, but when bed-time came, she put her arms round Miss Lorraine's neck.
"If I had not had you to come to, what should I have done? I knew you would receive me, though I have behaved so badly. I have been infatuated all the summer, and now I seem like Marius among the ruins! I said to myself, 'I will go back to her; it would be bliss to be one of her servants, for I should feel so safe!'"
And when Miss Lorraine had given her a good-night kiss and retired to her own room that evening, she thanked God that she had been able to preserve the link unbroken between this impetuous young girl and herself.
Jean was very quiet for the next few days. She unpacked her things, and settled down into Miss Lorraine's even, regular life. But when visitors arrived in the afternoon, she slipped away to her own room.
"I don't want to see anybody," she said; "not even Colonel Douglas."
Miss Lorraine respected her wish. She knew that she needed time and quiet to recover the mental shock that she had received.
And Jean's strong vigorous nature would not be suppressed for long. Of that she felt positively certain.
One afternoon, Miss Lorraine came in, and found Jean lying back in an easy chair with "Aurora Leigh" in her hand.