“Edith, I insist! You shall not go out to-night. It is shameful for Mr. Santley to encourage you! If you only knew how people talk! You are not engaged to Mr. Santley, and I tell you it is a scandal!”
Edith flushed nervously, as she replied:—
“There is no scandal, aunt! Mr. Santley——”
“I have no patience with him. In a minister of the gospel, it is disgraceful.”
“What is disgraceful?”
“The encouragement he gives you, when he knows he has no intention of marrying you.”
“How do you know that?” said Edith again, with that far-off curious smile.
“He has not even proposed; you are not engaged? If you were, it would be different.”
With a quiet impulse of tenderness, Edith bent over her aunt and kissed her. The old lady looked up in surprise, and saw that her niece’s eyes were full of tears.
“Edith, what is it? What do you mean?”