Meg saw all the girl’s sensitive nature had suffered, and uttered not a word of rebuke; she even said they would keep the affair to themselves, and not tell Pip.
But she dropped one little word in season before she went to her own room to bed.
The dressing-gown suited the girl’s exquisite young beauty marvellously; all the time they had talked Meg could not help admiring.
When they got up she drew her quietly to the long glass of the dressing-table.
Oh the wonderful picture it showed! the rich, warm colouring of the graceful gown, the young sweet face with its dewy eyes and tremulous lips and pink flush, and all the soft great waves of riotous hair one golden splendour to her waist!
[“Look!”] said Meg.
The girl looked at her image shyly, almost shamedly, but with a certain little glad quickening at her heart.
“Oh, Nellie, how good you ought to be!” whispered the elder girl, and kissed her and slipped away.
[217]
]CHAPTER XIX.
HEADACHE AND HEARTACHE.
“Look where the healing waters run,