s salary. But no:
she would not dare. She is a clever woman and invaluable to me, and
there is no saying what clever women will not think of; but I do not
believe even Bertha would go as far as that, and I warned her too. For
some reason Maurice is not often with Bertha just now. Yes, I must bring
things to an issue. The Sharstons and Sir John leave on Monday. Maurice
must make up his mind to propose to Miss Sharston almost immediately
afterwards. He can follow them to Southsea, where they have taken a
house for the winter."

Mrs. Aylmer was quite cheerful as she thought over this.

"We will have a grand wedding in the spring," she said to herself, "and
Kitty shall come and live with me. I need not keep Bertha Keys when
Kitty is always in the house. Kitty would suit me much better. I seldom
saw a girl I liked more thoroughly."

Meanwhile Kitty Sharston and her companion, little guessing the thoughts
which were passing through the minds of their elders, were busily
talking over the one subject which now occupied all Trevor's thoughts.
Like bees round a flower, these thoughts drew nearer and nearer every
moment to the subject of Florence Aylmer. Whenever Trevor was silent or
distrait Kitty would speak of Florence, and his attention was instantly
arrested. He began to talk in cheerful and animated tones. Incidents of
Florence's life at school always made him laugh. He was glad to hear of
her small triumphs, which Kitty related to him with much _naivete_.

This evening, after a longer pause than usual, during which Kitty tore
her chrysanthemum to pieces, and Mrs. Aylmer was quite certain that
Maurice was saying something very tender and suitable, Trevor broke the
silence by saying abruptly: "You have doubtless all sorts of prizes and
competitions in your school life. Was Miss Aylmer ever remarkable for
the excellence of her essays and themes?"

"Ever remarkable for the excellence of her essays or themes?" said
Kitty.

Before she could reply, Bertha, whose game was over, and who had just
given an emphatic checkmate to her enemy, strolled across the room. She
stood near the piano and could overhear the two; Kitty's eyes met hers,
and Kitty's cheeks turned pale.

"I don't think she was specially remarkable for the excellence of her
writing," said Kitty then, in a low voice.

"You surprise me. Such talent as she now possesses must have been more
or less inherent in her even as a child."

"It does not always follow,"