“And why do you pretend to like him so much?” said Nora again.
“Of course I like him,” cried Augusta, who feared that she might have gone too far. “Well, let’s go on with our history; we may as well have good marks. All these sort of things will tell when the great day of the prize-giving arrives.”
Meanwhile Captain Richmond had conducted Miss Roy to the drawing-room. They both stood close to the chiffonier. Captain Richmond pushed forward a chair and asked the governess to seat herself.
“I want to show you something,” he said, “and I should be extremely glad if you could throw some light upon it. It has troubled me a good bit.”
“What do you mean?” said Miss Roy.
“I allude to an entry in the orderly-book.”
“An entry in the orderly-book!”
“Yes—made in your absence—made by my sister-in-law. Perhaps you can explain it.”
As Captain Richmond spoke he opened the drawer of the chiffonier where the orderly-book was kept, took out the book, and placed it on a small table before the governess; then opening the book, he pointed to the page where poor Nancy’s cruel conduct was testified to.
“Look,” he said. “You would not have supposed that she could be cruel.”