sy. You are so
full of tact and so bright, Annie, that you generally make matters go
off fairly well. But to-night there won't be anyone to stem the current.
Oh, dear, I do trust that Antonia won't talk _too_ much high art."

As Hester spoke, she looked at her friend with an expression of great
anxiety on her face. Under ordinary circumstances this look would have
completely overmastered Annie, who would immediately have yielded up
her own wishes to please Hester, but now she remained quite obdurate.

"I am sure you will manage very well," she said, in an almost hard voice
for her. "You know, Hetty, you won't always have me, and you will have
Mrs. Bernard Temple and Antonia."

"It is too dreadful," sighed Hester. "When my father thought of marrying
again, why did he not think of someone more congenial?"

"I suppose Mrs. Bernard Temple is congenial to him," replied Annie, "and
that he doubtless considers of the first importance. After all, Hetty,
I'm sure she will let you have your own way in everything, and I don't
really think that Antonia is half bad. If I were you I would try and
make friends with her."

"It is not in my nature to make friends easily," replied Hester.

She was standing in her pretty bedroom as she spoke, and Annie was
leaning by the open window, swinging her garden hat in her hand.

"Hester," she said, suddenly, "forgive me if I ask you rather a rude
question. Is your father a very rich man?"

Hester looked surprised.

"I suppose so," she answered; "to tell the truth, I have never thought
about it. Oh, yes, I conclude that he is quite well off."

"But I want him to be more than well off. Is he rich--very rich? so rich
that he would not miss a lot of money if he had suddenly to--to lose
it?"

"What a very queer question to ask me, Annie," replied Hester. "I am
really afraid I cannot reply to it. I think my father must be rich, but
I don't know if he is rich enough to be able to afford to lose a lot of
money--I don't think anyone is rich enough for that."

"Oh, yes, some people are," answered Annie. "Well, good-bye, Hetty, keep
up your heart. I'll be back early to-morrow morning."

"I must get that question of Sir John Thornton's wealth clearly answered
somehow or other," thought Annie, "for there is no manner of use in
Antonia stirring up a lot of mischief if there is no money to be found.
I wonder if nursey could help me. I think I'll just have a word with her
before I go to the Towers