Despite the fatigue of the previous night, Bernardine awoke early the next morning, and when the housekeeper came to call her, she found her already dressed.
"You are an early riser, Miss Moore," she said. "That is certainly a virtue which will commend itself to my mistress, who rises early herself. You will come at once to her boudoir. Follow me, Miss Moore."
She reached Mrs. Gardiner's boudoir before she was aware of it, so intent were her thoughts. That lady was sitting at a small marble table, sipping a cup of very fragrant coffee. A small, very odorous broiled bird lay on a square of browned toast on a silver plate before her. She pushed it aside as Bernardine entered.
"Good-morning, Miss Moore," she said, showing a trifle more kindliness than she had exhibited on the previous evening; "I hope you rested well last night. Sit down."
Bernardine complied; but before she could answer these commonplace, courteous remarks, an inner door opened, and a lady, neither very young nor very old, entered the room.
"Good-morning, mamma," she said; and by that remark Bernardine knew that this was Jay's sister.
She almost devoured her with eager eyes, trying to trace a resemblance in her features to her handsome brother.
"Margaret, this is my new companion, Miss Moore," said Mrs. Gardiner, languidly.
Bernardine blushed to the roots of her dark hair, as two dark-blue eyes, so like Jay's, looked into her own.
"Welcome to Gardiner Castle, Miss Moore," replied Margaret Gardiner.