"I don't think one ought to give way," said Adela with a slight return to her gritty manner, "to one's feelings too much. But certainly one is beginning to see things differently, which is a dangerous thing for people of our age, John."
"Yes," said John, "I suppose it is." He paused and then brought out—"There's Francis, Adela. We've all been very wrong about Francis. I've felt it for a long time, but hadn't the courage.... He's been behaving very well all this time—One oughtn't to hold aloof—altogether——"
"Mother refuses to have his name mentioned——"
"We must take into account," John said very slowly and now without meeting his sister's eye—"that mother is not so well—scarcely so sure in her judgment——"
He broke off. There was a long pause and they looked away from one another, as though they had been guilty conspirators. Norris came in to take the tea away.
"Has Lady Seddon gone?"
"Yes, my lady. She was with Her Grace a very short time——"
Adela turned impatiently to John. "So like Rachel. She might at least have come to say good-bye to us."
When Norris had gone John got up and walked a little about the room.
He stopped beside his sister and put his hand on her shoulder: