"Is that you, Bee dear?" said Mrs. Vincent kindly. She too was ready dressed, but she was just finishing the address on a letter. "Why, you are looking quite bright again, my child!" she went on when she looked up at the little figure waiting patiently beside her.
"I'm very glad to go out with you," said Bee simply.
"And I'm very glad to have you," said Mrs. Vincent.
"Aunt Lillias," said Bee, her voice trembling a little, "may I ask you one thing? You don't think I touched Rosy's necklace?"
Mrs. Vincent smiled.
"Certainly not, dear," she said. "I did at first think you might have forgotten to put it back that day. But after your telling me so distinctly that you had put it back, I felt quite satisfied that you had done so."
"But," said Bee, and then she hesitated.
"But what?" said Mrs. Vincent, smiling.
"I don't think—I didn't think," Bee went on, gaining courage, "that you had been quite the same to me since then."
"And you have been fancying all kinds of reasons for it, I suppose!" said Mrs. Vincent. "Well, Bee, the only thing I have been not quite pleased with you for has been your looking so unhappy. I was surprised at your seeming so hurt and vexed at my asking you about the necklace, and since then you have looked so miserable that I had begun seriously to think it might be better for you not to stay with us. If Rosy or any one else has disobeyed me, and gone on talking about the necklace, it is very wrong, but even then I wonder at your allowing foolish words to make you so unhappy. Has any one spoken so as to hurt you?"