'About—' she was not far from tears, as she faltered out, 'their engagement.'
'Theirs!' he wrung the hand that he still retained; 'Edgar and—'
'And Alice Knevett,' said Robin. 'I would not promise not to tell. I hope it is not treachery!'
'How long?' asked Felix, hoarsely.
'Ever since the holidays. They used to walk together when Miss Pearson thought she was with us, but none of us ever knew it then.'
'You are certain? Remember, this is a graver matter than perhaps you understand.'
'I think I do understand, and it is that which makes me so unhappy; but, indeed, it can't be fancy. I have seen her ring, emerald and amethyst, for Edgar and Alice, and the locket with their hairs twisted together. The very first Sunday we were here, he gave me a note for her, and when I told him it was not allowed, he tried quizzing me at first, and at last told me I was a silly child who did not know what was proper between engaged people. So I said,' continued Robina, with dignity, 'that I could allow much to be proper in that case, but I wanted to know whether this was only kept from me because I was a baby, and was known to you and the grown-up people.'
'Right, Robin,' muttered Felix, feeling that she needed encouragement.
'Then he laughed at me more than ever about expecting things to be proclaimed on the market-cross, and tried to puzzle me out of my senses, till I could only stick to one thing, that I couldn't take his notes unless somebody knew. And after all I found the thing in my jacket pocket. He must have put it in when I was not looking.'
'And what did you do with it?'