son's open
praises of the "rich, beautiful hair," and the "Oriental eyes" of the
wearer.

"I induced the young lady who accompanied your sisters the other
day--the governess, is she, ma'am?"

"Yes--Mrs Denbigh is her name," said Jemima, clouding over.

"Thank you, ma'am. Well, I persuaded Mrs Denbigh to try on that
bonnet, and you can't think how charming she looked in it; and yet I
don't think it became her as much as it does you."

"Mrs Denbigh is very beautiful," said Jemima, taking off the bonnet,
and not much inclined to try on any other.

"Very, ma'am. Quite a peculiar style of beauty. If I might be
allowed, I should say that hers was a Grecian style of loveliness,
while yours was Oriental. She reminded me of a young person I once
knew in Fordham." Mrs Pearson sighed an audible sigh.

"In Fordham!" said Jemima, remembering that Ruth had once spoken of
the place as one in which she had spent some time, while the county
in which it was situated was the same in which Ruth was born. "In
Fordham! Why, I think Mrs Denbigh comes from that neighbourhood."

"Oh, ma'am! she cannot be the young person I mean--I am sure,
ma'am--holding the position she does in your establishment. I should
hardly say I knew her myself; for I only saw her two or three times
at my sister's house; but she was so remarked for her beauty, that I
remember her face quite well--the more so, on account of her vicious
conduct afterwards."

"Her vicious conduct!" repeated Jemima, convinced by these words
that there could be no identity between Ruth and the "young person"
alluded to. "Then it could not have been our Mrs Denbigh."

"Oh, no, ma'am! I am sure I should be sorry to be understood to have
suggested anything of the kind. I beg your pardon if I did so. All
I meant to say--and perhaps that was a liberty I ought not to have
taken, considering what Ruth Hilton was--"

"Ruth Hilton!" said Jemima, turning suddenly round, and facing Mrs
Pearson.

"Yes, ma'am, that was the name of the young person I allude to."

"Tell me about her--what did she do?" asked Jemima, subduing her
eagerness of tone and look as best she might, but trembling as on the
verge of some strange discovery.

"I don't know whether I ought to tell you, ma'am--it is hardly a fit
story for a young lady; but this Ruth Hilton was an apprentice to
my sister-in-law, who had a first-rate business in Fordham, which
brought her a good deal of patronage from the county families;