She felt Miss Dearling glance at her hands.

“Are you––are you engaged to be married?” she asked, after a moment. “Please forgive my curiosity, but I am always so interested in young people’s love-affairs....”

Esther coloured.

“Yes, I am engaged,” she said. “But he is away just now––abroad. I hope we shall be married as soon as he comes home again.”

Miss Dearling said that she hoped so, too; later, when she got a moment alone with June she asked interestedly about the man to whom Esther was engaged.

“I do hope he is nice,” she said anxiously. “Such a very charming girl! such a sweet-looking girl! Is he nice, my dear?”

June crossed the room and shut the door; then she turned round with a little grimace.

“He’s a pig!” she said.

Miss Dearling screamed.

“Oh, my dear!”