he was out of the
way! for he might have had a ride with them if he had not set off quite
so early on his walk. Harry regretted too much what he had missed to
have much to say about it; it was very unlucky. Bessie at Fairfield, he
clearly discerned, was not at home for him, and Lady Latimer was not his
friend. He had not heard any secrets respecting Mr. Cecil Burleigh, but
a suspicion obscured his fancy since last night, and his mother's
tidings threw him into a mood of dejection that made him as pale as a
fond lover whom his lady has rebuffed.

CHAPTER XLII.

_HOW FRIENDS MAY FALL OUT._.

Mr. and Mrs. Bernard and Mr. Wiley were added to the dinner-party at
Fairfield that evening, and Lady Latimer gave Miss Fairfax a quiet
reminder that she might have to be on her guard, for the rector was as
deficient in tact as ever. And so he proved. He first announced that the
fever had broken out again at Littlemire and Marsh-End, after the
shortest lull he recollected, thus taking away Mr. Logger's present
appetite, and causing him to flee from the Forest the first thing in the
morning. Then he condoled with Mrs. Bernard on a mishap to her child
that other people avoided speaking of, for the consequences were likely
to be very serious, and she had not yet been made fully aware of them.
There was a peculiar, low, lugubrious note in his voice which caused it
to be audible through the room, and Bessie, who sat opposite to him,
between Mr. Cecil Burleigh and Mr. Logger, devoted all her conversation
to them to avoid that of the rector. But he had taken note of her at the
moment of his entrance, and though the opportunity of remark had not
been afforded him, he soon made it, beginning with inquiries after her
grandfather. Then he reverted to Mr. Fairfax's visit to Beechhurst four
years ago, and spoke in a congratulatory, patronizing manner that was
peculiarly annoying to Bessie: "There is a difference between now and
then--eh, Bessie? Mrs. Wiley and I have often smiled at one naive little
speech of yours--about a nest-egg that was saving up for a certain event
that young ladies look forward to. It must be considerably grown by now,
that nest-egg. You remember, I see."

Anybody might see that Bessie remembered; not her face only, but her
neck, her very arms, burned.

"Secrets are not to be told out of the confessional," said Mr. Bernard.
"Miss Fairfax, you blush unseen by me."

There was a general low ripple of laughter,