"Oh! hah!... that explains it all.... You need not blush so about it, my dear; why did you not tell me so at once?"
"I do not think it is quite certain," returned Agnes, attempting to smile, "that Colonel Hubert spoke of me."
"Don't you, my dear ... but I do, and I know him best, I suppose.... And what was it you sang to him, Agnes?"
Agnes mentioned the songs; but her voice trembled so, that she grievously repented having brought on herself questions that she found it so difficult to answer.
Her embarrassment was not greatly relieved by perceiving,—when at length she looked up to save herself from the awkwardness of pertinaciously looking down,—that the eyes of Lady Stephenson were earnestly fixed upon her.
"Did you ever see Frederick Stephenson with my brother?" said her ladyship; "they were at Clifton together this summer.... Perhaps you don't know that I was married there, Agnes?... and Sir Edward and I left our two brothers there together."
This change of subject was a considerable relief; and Agnes answered with tolerable composure,—"Oh yes!... I did know you were married there, for I heard it mentioned several times; ... and I saw you too, Lady Stephenson, the evening before you were married, walking up and down Gloucester Row with ... with your brother."
"Did you indeed?—Were you walking there, Agnes?"
"No ... we were at the drawing-room window, and my aunt made me look out to see your brother."
"Why particularly to see my brother?" inquired Lady Stephenson with a smile.