“Indeed!” cried Mrs. Brander, raising her eyebrows with great apparent interest. “I wonder if it is any one I know?” Mrs. Denison gave a little cough of uncertainty.
“Well,” she said at last, with some hesitation, “I hope I’m not letting out a secret, but it is your own brother-in-law, Mr. Vernon Brander.”
Mrs. Brander almost started from her chair in well simulated horror and surprise.
“Vernon!” she exclaimed, in a low voice. “Impossible!” Mrs. Denison turned pale.
“Why not?” she faltered. “Surely there is nothing against the vicar’s brother!”
Mrs. Brander hesitated, in much apparent confusion and distress.
“I would not for the world have been the first to break it to you, and even now I scarcely like to tell you. In fact, I will not unless you will promise that it shall make no difference in your treatment of the unhappy young fellow,” she said at last.
Mrs. Denison, shaking with curiosity and alarm, gave the required promise in an unconvincing tone.
“Years ago,” began the vicar’s wife in a tone lowered to escape the children’s ears, “Vernon unhappily became involved in an intrigue with the sister of the man who occupied this house, and at last, after a quarrel, she mysteriously disappeared, and has not since been heard of.”
“Murdered!” shrieked Mrs. Denison, startling the children, who all turned round, and caused her to put sudden constraint upon herself.