,
for the words, "your mother's daughter ought to be more careful than
other girls," so often in poor Molly's mind, were repeated there now.

"If there were an old governess, or some one of that sort," suggested
Sir Edmund, with hesitation.

"Oh yes, yes!" cried Molly eagerly; "there is one, if I could only get
her. Oh, thank you, yes! I wonder I did not think of that before." And
she gave a happy, youthful laugh at this solution.

"Is it some one you really care for?" asked Edmund, with growing
interest.

"I don't know about really caring"--Molly looked puzzled--"but she would
do. There is one thing more I wanted to ask you. About the silly boy
last night: whom does he owe the money to? I know nothing about
bridge."

"He owes it to Billy."

Molly looked sorry.

"I thought, if it were to Mrs. Delaport Green----"

"You might have paid the money?" Edmund smiled kindly at her. "No, no,
Miss Dexter, that will be all right."

She turned from him, laughing, and went indoors to Mrs. Delaport Green's
room.

She found that lady writing letters, and the floor was scattered with
them, six deep round the table. She put her hand to her face as Molly
came in.

"There are no possible trains," said Molly, "so I'm afraid you must bear
it. Sir Edmund advises us to go by an early train to-morrow: he thinks
to-day you would be better here, as there won't be a dentist left in
London."

"I am very brave at bearing pain, fortunately," was the answer, "and I
am trying, even now, to get on with my letters. I think I shall go to
Eastbourne to-morrow; there are always good dentists in those places. I
love the churches there, and the air will brace my nerves. I might have
gone to Brighton only Tim is there. Will you"--she paused a
moment--"will you come to Eastbourne too?"

Mrs. Delaport Green was not disposed to have Molly with her. She was
exceedingly annoyed at the _debacle_ of her visit to Groombridge--a
visit which she was describing in glowing terms in her letters to all
her particular friends. It would be unpleasant to have Molly's critical
eyes upon her; she liked, and was accustomed to, people with a very
different expression.

Molly, however, ignoring very patent hints with great calmness and
firmness, told her that she intended to stay with her for just as long
as it was necessary before finding some one to live with in a little
flat in London. She felt the possibility, at first, of Mrs. Delaport
Green's becoming in