'I can't say so much as that, Miss—she wasn't married to anybody else; but he knew, and she knew, that she was not worthy to claim a wife's'——
'That's quite enough, aunt,' interrupted Marian. 'They are my rights; and I've told you over and over again that I don't mean to give my rights up. It looks as if you were envious of my good fortune—it really does. Not that it will make any difference to me in what I mean to do by-and-by,' she added largely. 'I intend to make you and Mr Pratt a handsome allowance; and some of these days Susy shall come down and see Fairview.'
'Not a penny; your uncle and me wouldn't take a penny of the money, if we were starving!'
'Ah, you will think better of it by-and-by,' complacently returned Marian. 'And you won't find that I shall draw back from my word. Your behaviour to-day won't make any difference to me, though some people wouldn't notice you again after it.'
Mrs Pratt drew her shawl about her with trembling hands, and turned towards the door.
'Don't go away like that, aunt. You haven't seen anything. Let me shew you the conservatory, and the'——
But Mrs Pratt hurried out of the room, and was gone before Marian could prevent her. The latter stood for a moment looking doubtfully at me, then said a little consciously: 'I suppose it's no use asking you not to mention what aunt said, Miss Haddon?'
'It would be no use, if my mentioning it would be of any service to Lilian,' I replied. 'But as I do not wish to give her unnecessary pain, I will not tell her—at anyrate for the present.'
'Nor Mrs Tipper?'