“Mr William Forth Burge has been a great benefactor to the schools; but they are the Church schools, and, for my part, I do not approve of everything being referred to him.”
“I—I think you are right, Beatrice,” assented Rebecca; “but Mr William Forth Burge has, as you say, been a great benefactor to the schools.”
“Exactly; a very great benefactor, Rebecca; but that is no reason why Miss Thorne should write to him.”
“I quite agree with you there, Beatrice; and now I have something more to tell you, which I have just heard as I came up the town.”
“About the schools?”
“Well, not exactly about the schools, but about the school-cottage. I heard, on very good authority, that the Thornes have a young man staying in the house.”
“A young man!”
“Yes; he arrived there yesterday afternoon, and Mr Chute, who was my informant, looked quite scandalised.”
“We must tell Henry at once,” cried Beatrice.
“Of what use would it be?” said Rebecca viciously. “He would only be angry, and tell us it was Miss Thorne’s brother, or something of that sort.”