ckpier."

"And I have been longing to have you. Mamma would have asked you to
stay with us before, only we had the house full. Can't you come
now?"

"You will see that I shall not be allowed. It is of no use to think
about it!" said the girl, with a sigh. "Here, let us get out of
this broad path, or she may yet come after us--persuade Mrs.
Charnock Poynsett it is too cold to stand about--anything to break
up a tete-a-tete."

Jenny saw she really was in absolute fear of pursuit; but hardly yet
understood the nervous haste to turn into a not very inviting side-
path, veiled by the trees, whose wet leaves were falling.

"Do you mind the damp?" asked the girl, anxiously.

"No, not at all; but--"

"You don't know what it is never to feel free, but be like a French
girl, always watched--at least whenever I am with any one I care to
speak to."

"Are you quite sure it is not imagination?"

"O, Joanna, don't be like all the rest, blinded by her! You knew
her always!"

"Only from below. I am four years younger; you know dear Emily was
my contemporary."

"Dear Emily! I miss her more now than even at Rockpier. But you,
who were her friend, and knew Camilla of old, I know you can help me
as no one else can."

Jenny returned a caress; and Eleonora spoke on. "You know I was
only eight years old when Camilla married, and I had scarcely seen
her till she came to us at Rockpier, on Lord Tyrrell's death, and
then she was most delightful. I thought her like mother and sister
both in one, even more tender than dear Emily. How could I have
thought so for a moment? But she enchanted everybody. Clergy,
ladies, and all came under the spell; and I can't get advice from
any of them--even from Miss Coles--you remember her?"

"Your governess? How nice she was!"

"Emily and I owed everything to her! She was as near being a mother
to us as any one could be; and Camilla could not say enough of
gratitude, or show esteem enough, and fascinated her like all the
rest of us; but she never rested till she had got her off to a
situation in Russia. I did not perceive the game at the time, but I
see now how all the proposals for situations within reach of me were
quashed."

"But you write to her?"

"Yes; but as soon as I showed any of my troubles she reproved me for
self-will and wanting to judge for myself, and not submit to my
sister. That's the way with all at Rockpier. Camilla has gone
about pitying me to them for h