"Your brother? He has come back?" Miss Grey did not like to add, "I am
so sorry," but that was exactly what she would have said if she had
spoken her mind.

"Yes, my dear--quite reformed and as steady as can be, and going to make
a great name in London. Oh, you may trust him to this time--you may
indeed."

Miss Grey's handsome and only too expressive features showed signs of
profound dissatisfaction.

"I couldn't help telling him that we were going to live in London--one's
brother, you know."

"Yes, one's brother," Miss Grey said with sarcastic emphasis. "They are
an affectionate race, these brothers! Then he knows all about our
expedition? Has he been here, Mary?"

"Oh, no, dear; but he wrote to me--such beautiful letters! Perhaps you
would like to read them?"

Miss Grey was silent, and was evidently fighting some battle with
herself. At last she said:

"Well, Mary dear, it can't be helped, and I dare say he won't trouble to
come very often to see _us_. But I hope he will come as often as you
like, for you might be terribly lonely. I don't care to know anybody. I
mean to study human nature, not to know people."

"But you have some friends in London, and you are going to see them."

"Oh--Lucy Money; yes. She was at school with us, and we used to be fond
of each other. I think of calling to see her, but she may be changed
ever so much, and perhaps we shan't get on together at all. Her father
has become a sort of great man in London, I believe--I don't know how.
They won't trouble us much, I dare say."

The friends then sat and talked for a short time about their project. It
is curious to observe that though they were such devoted friends they
looked on their joint purpose with very different eyes. The young woman,
with her beauty, her spirit, and her talents, was absolutely sincere and
single-minded, and was going to London with the sole purpose of living a
free, secluded life, without ambition, without thought of any manner of
success. The poor little old maid had her head already filled with wild
dreams of fame to be found in London, of a distinguished brother, a
bright career, publishers seeking for everything she wrote, and her name
often in the papers. Devoted as she was to Miss Grey, or perhaps because
she was so devoted to her, she had already been forming vague but
delightful hopes about the reformed brother which she would not now for
all the world have ventured to hint to her friend.

CHAPTER I