The girls crowded round her, some of them kneeling by her side, some of them venturing to kiss her hand; but from every pair of lips came the same words, “We know nothing of the packet.” Even Fanny, who kept it in her pocket, and who heartily wished that it was lying at the bottom of the sea, repeated the same words as her companions.
CHAPTER XXI
A RAY OF HOPE
A few minutes later the Speciality girls had left Mrs. Haddo’s room. There were to be no lessons that day; therefore they could spend their time as they liked best. But an enforced holiday of this kind was no pleasure to any of them.
Martha said at once that she was going to seek the twins. “I have left them in my room,” she said. “They hardly slept all night. I never saw such dear, affectionate little creatures. They are absolutely broken-hearted. I promised to come to them as soon as I could.”
“Have you asked them to trust you—to treat you as a true friend?” asked Fanny Crawford.
“I have, Fanny; and the strange thing is, that although beyond doubt they know pretty nearly as much about Betty’s secret and about the lost packet as she does herself, poor child, they are just as reticent with regard to it. They will not tell. Nothing will induce them to betray Betty. Over and over again I have implored of them, for the sake of her life, to take me into their confidence; but I might as well have spoken to adamant. They will not do it.”
“They have exactly the same stubborn nature,” said Fanny.