Fire lighted in her brother’s eyes, and the stone face was all animated, and he looked sudden sympathy, and he cried, “You are right, sister, in principle, but wrong in—fact.”
“Set me right where only I am wrong then,” cried she.
He turned to stone again, and her aunt in a low voice, said, “Not now.”
“Now or never,” said the sturdy champion; “it is for Miss Stanley’s character. You are interested for her, are not you, aunt?”
“Certainly, I am indeed; but we do not know all the circumstances—we cannot—”
“But we must. You do not know, brother, how public these reports are. Mr. St. Leger Swift, the dentist, has been chattering to us all morning about them. So, to go to the bottom of the business at once, will you, Lady Cecilia, answer me one straight-forward question?”
Straight-forward question! what is coming? thought Lady Cecilia: her face flushed, and taking up a hand-screen, she turned away, as if from the scorching fire; but it was not a scorching fire, as everybody, or at least as Miss Clarendon, could see. The face turned away from Miss Clarendon was full in view of aunt Pennant, who was on her other side; and she, seeing the distressed state of the countenance, pitied, and gently laying her hand upon Lady Cecilia’s arm, said, in her soft low voice, “This must be a very painful subject to you, Lady Cecilia. I am sorry for you.”
“Thank you,” said Lady Cecilia, pressing her hand with quick gratitude for her sympathy. “It is indeed to me a painful subject, for Helen has been my friend from childhood, and I have so much reason for loving her!”
Many contending emotions struggled in Cecilia’s countenance, and she could say no more: but what she had said, what she had looked, had been quite enough to interest tenderly in her favour that kind heart to which it was addressed; and Cecilia’s feeling was true at the instant; she forgot all but Helen; the screen was laid down; tears stood in her eyes—those beautiful eyes! “If I could but tell you the whole—oh if I could! without destroying——”
Miss Clarendon at this moment placed herself close opposite to Cecilia, and, speaking so low that neither her brother nor her aunt could hear her, said, “Without destroying yourself, or your friend—which?”