'I have indeed. But I daren't say a word about them.'
'And what has possessed you to be telling me the truth, eh? You're not in the habit of telling the truth, Clothilde.'
'You are very hard upon me,' she murmured.
'God knows I don't wish to be,' Mrs. Hennifer burst out, with a voice that suddenly trembled. 'Be hard upon yourself. It seems to me, inconceivable though it be, that you are trifling with memories on which it is sheer wickedness to dwell. You trifled with him once; for Heaven's sake don't trifle with yourself.'
Mrs. Severn moved uneasily. There was a palm-leaf fan near, and she took it up and held it against her brows. Mrs. Hennifer, with every faculty upon the alert, and energy of observation as much as of suspicion, was convinced that her lip trembled. Her eyes were downcast. Her face, however, remained pale and calm. It was impossible to judge of her phase of feeling. And at that moment, as though to baffle any effort on Mrs. Hennifer's part to do so, she slid her feet to the ground and rose, then rearranged herself at the darker end of the settee. Mrs. Hennifer, noting each movement with a jealousy for Cynthia that was almost fierce, reluctantly admired while she mistrusted. The profile of her face and throat against the wainscot was like a bas-relief in ivory; every gesture had a slow and self-abandoned grace. She prayed while she watched her.
'It has struck me that he might go to see the Pitons,' said Mrs. Severn; 'I suppose he returned to Jersey after Miss Marlowe left. If he went there Ambrose would probably tell him all. I know Anna told him of the engagement when she wrote when Miss Marlowe was going there.'
'A most excellent opportunity, and I hope Ambrose would make the best use of it. In that case he is au fait with everything, and we need not distress ourselves,' said Mrs. Hennifer decisively.
After this they sat for some time in silence.
'Clothilde, are you very fond of your children?' said Mrs. Hennifer at last, half unconscious of the question evolved from such a rush of rambling thought, that whatever had been uttered must have seemed inconsequent.