"What can have passed?" said Miss Torrington, looking almost as pale himself.
"Much that has been very painful," he replied; "but I am ashamed at being thus overpowered by it. Tell me, both of you, without any reserve, have you ever thought—has the idea ever entered your heads, that my unfortunate mother was likely to marry Cartwright?"
"No,—never," replied Helen firmly.
"Yes," said Rosalind falteringly;—but less with the hesitation of doubt, than from fear of giving pain.
"Lady Harrington told me it was spoken of," said Mowbray with a deep sigh.
"It is impossible!" said Helen, "I cannot:—I will not believe it. Rosalind! if you have had such an idea, how comes it that you have kept it secret from me?"
"If instead of darkly fearing it," replied Rosalind, "I had positively known it to be true, I doubt if I should have named it, Helen;—I could not have borne that words so hateful should have first reached the family from me."
"Has she told you it is so?" inquired Helen, her lips so parched with agitation that she pronounced the words with difficulty.
"No, dearest, she has not; and perhaps I am wrong both in conceiving such an idea, and in naming it. But her mind is so violently, so strangely wrought upon by this detestable man, that I can only account for it by believing that he is——"
There was much filial piety in the feeling that prevented his finishing the sentence.