. His letters from Monksmoor have interested her, poor
soul. It seems he said something about me--and she has sent a kind
message, inviting me to visit her one of these days. Do you understand
it now, Cecilia?"

"Of course I do! Tell me--is Mr. Mirabel's sister older or younger than
he is?"

"Older."

"Is she married?"

"She is a widow."

"Does she live with her brother?" Alban asked.

"Oh, no! She has her own house--far away in Northumberland."

"Is she near Sir Jervis Redwood?"

"I fancy not. Her house is on the coast."

"Any children?" Cecilia inquired.

"No; she is quite alone. Now, Cecilia, I have told you all I know--and
I have something to say to Mr. Morris. No, you needn't leave us; it's a
subject in which you are interested. A subject," she repeated, turning
to Alban, "which you may have noticed is not very agreeable to me."

"Miss Jethro?" Alban guessed.

"Yes; Miss Jethro."

Cecilia's curiosity instantly asserted itself.

"_We_ have tried to get Mr. Mirabel to enlighten us, and tried in vain,"
she said. "You are a favorite. Have you succeeded?"

"I have made no attempt to succeed," Emily replied. "My only object is
to relieve Mr. Mirabel's anxiety, if I can--with your help, Mr. Morris."

"In what way can I help you?"

"You mustn't be angry."

"Do I look angry?"

"You look serious. It is a very simple thing. Mr. Mirabel is afraid that
Miss Jethro may have said something disagreeable about him, which
you might hesitate to repeat. Is he making himself uneasy without any
reason?"

"Without the slightest reason. I have concealed nothing from Mr.
Mirabel."

"Thank you for the explanation." She turned to Cecilia. "May I send
one of the servants with a message? I may as well put an end to Mr.
Mirabel's suspense."

The man was summoned, and was dispatched with the message. Emily would
have done well, after this, if she had abstained from speaking further
of Miss Jethro. But Mirabel's doubts had, unhappily, inspired a
similar feeling of uncertainty in her own mind. She was now disposed to
attribute the tone of mystery in Alban's unlucky letter to some possible
concealment suggested by regard for herself. "I wonder whether _I_ have
any reason to feel uneasy?" she said--half in jest, half in earnest.

"Uneasy about what?" Alban inquired.

"About Miss Jethro, of course! Has she said anything of me which your
kindness has concealed?"

Alban seemed to be a little hurt by the doubt which he