He ascertained, by guarded and careful questioning, that neither Denzil nor his aunt had said a word to Rona concerning the black sheep of the family, nor his disappearance. As far as Normansgrave was concerned, it appeared that he was as though he had never been.
The main difficulty which Felix had foreseen in this interview, was that of convincing Rona that they must not make a clean breast of their circumstances, without giving her the true reason for his silence.
But on this point he found her unexpectedly amenable.
He began, with much diffidence.
"You know, Rona, you asked me in your letter, whether you might not tell Miss Rawson everything?"
"Yes," said the girl impulsively, "but I am sorry for that. As soon as I had written, I was sorry. Because, of course, I see that we can't do that."
He was puzzled. "You do see that we can't?"
"Certainly we can't. Because, if we did, they would have to know that you had been in—prison—and that they shall never know through me."
He gazed at her with ever-increasing admiration. "You see that?"
"Yes. I am growing up, you see. I think and hope I grow more sensible every day. I am learning, learning, every minute. Oh, David, you can't think how ignorant and foolish I am, or was. Inside those convent walls there was no world, only the circle of our everyday life, and the question of lessons and punishments, and being good, and being naughty, and fasts and festivals and penances and so on. But I believe that really I have plenty of brains, and I have a strong will too——"