“Like what?” said Mrs. Rowland anxiously.
“Oh!” said Marion, with a pause for reflection,—“well, just like that! The servants have got a story that it’s about money, but Archie is not a spender, and I don’t know how it could be about money. But if papa has turned him out of the house, it could not be without reason, and that is enough for me.”
This was true enough and yet was not true, for Marion secretly had made a great many more investigations about Archie than anybody knew; and was quite aware where he was, and that Aunt Jane was profoundly indignant, and considered, as was not unnatural, that the whole matter was the stepmother’s doing from beginning to end.
“I have written to him,” said Evelyn, “but he has not replied. My dear, you are his only sister; you ought to help to make it up. Will you write to him and beg him to come home?”
“But I would maybe be flying in his papa’s face if I did that.”
“Your father would not blame you. Don’t you see he is very unhappy?—his only son! May, you are prejudiced against me, both of you. It is perhaps not unnatural; never mind that; but try and help me with Archie, to bring him back—to bring him home.”
“And how am I to know,” said Marion, “that it is not just to ruin me too with papa, and get me sent away as well, that you are giving me that advice?”
Evelyn had derived much temporal advantage from her union with James Rowland. She had been made the mistress of a great house, with much authority and surrounded with honour, instead of a poor dependent woman; but she paid for it dearly in this moment, while the girl stood with her little impertinent head lifted, discharging this little poisoned arrow straight into Mrs. Rowland’s heart.
There was a moment of intense silence, to which all the dulling influences of nature,—the night, the frost, the darkness—gave additional effect. The panting of Evelyn’s breath, which she could not conceal, was the only sound. Marion was cool as the air and entirely self-possessed, waiting to see how her missile told, and noting with triumph that quickened breath.
“Of course after these words I can ask nothing more of you,” said Mrs. Rowland when she had attained the command of her own voice.