"Your brother's son, I suppose?" said Mr. Kent.
"Ye—es," she replied, hesitatingly.
"What is his age?"
"Sixteen. He is about the same age as Jasper. Do I venture too much in asking you to become his friend?"
Mrs. Kent modulated her voice, as she well knew how to do, to counterfeit warm and tender feeling, as she proffered this request. Her nature was feline, and she knew how to conceal her claws.
"You may rely upon my co-operation, my dear," said Mr. Kent, kindly, "in your noble task."
There was a latent gleam of triumph in Mrs. Kent's eyes as she heard this promise, which transferred to her husband a burden which had long been a drain upon her own slender purse. She had dreaded the effect of this announcement upon her husband, and finally, as we have seen, thought it best to change the relationship and call Nicholas her nephew, and not her son. So that difficulty was well surmounted, and the effect had been to impress Mr. Kent with a sense of her generous and unselfish devotion.
But her exultation was short-lived. A bustle was heard outside. An instant later the door was thrown open, and Jasper entered the room, flushed and excited.
THE STEP-MOTHER.