He rang the bell.
"Is Mrs Denbigh here?" he inquired of the servant who answered it.
"Yes, sir; she is just come."
"Beg her to come to me in this room as soon as she can leave the young ladies."
Ruth came.
"Sit down, Mrs Denbigh; sit down. I want to have a little conversation with you; not about your pupils, they are going on well under your care, I am sure; and I often congratulate myself on the choice I made—I assure you I do. But now I want to speak to you about Jemima. She is very fond of you, and perhaps you could take some opportunity of observing to her—in short, of saying to her, that she is behaving very foolishly—in fact, disgusting Mr Farquhar (who was, I know, inclined to like her) by the sullen, sulky way she behaves in, when he is by."
He paused for the ready acquiescence he expected. But Ruth did not quite comprehend what was required of her, and disliked the glimpse she had gained of the task very much.
"I hardly understand, sir. You are displeased with Miss Bradshaw's manners to Mr Farquhar."
"Well, well! not quite that; I am displeased with her manners—they are sulky and abrupt, particularly when he is by—and I want you (of whom she is so fond) to speak to her about it."
"But I have never had the opportunity of noticing them. Whenever I have seen her, she has been most gentle and affectionate."