"You need not take the trouble to ring that bell," she said, "for it would be useless—quite useless."
"Why, what do you mean?" he asked, in unfeigned astonishment, thinking that perhaps she meant to forbid him giving the girl the little ring; and he grew nettled at that thought.
He said to himself that he was over one-and-twenty, and was entitled to do as he pleased in such matters.
"Listen, Hubert; I have something to tell you, and you must hear me out. Come and sit on this sofa beside me. I can tell you better then."
"What is the meaning of all this secrecy, mother?" he cried.
"To begin with," slowly began Mrs. Varrick, "Jessie Bain is no longer under this roof."
He looked at her as though he did not fully take in the meaning of her words.
"I will tell you the whole story, my son," she said; "but promise me first that you will not interrupt me, no matter how much you may be inclined to do so, and that you will hear without comment all that I have to say."
"Do I understand you to say that Jessie Bain is not here?" he cried.
"Promise not to interrupt me and I will tell you all."