done wrong to you and to Gilbert, but
do try and forgive me. Why are you so quiet? Haven't you love enough
for me to do just this?'

She stood up, flushed and with wild eyes.

'Be quiet, Thyrza dearest!' pleaded her sister.

'Then answer me, Lyddy I Promise me!'

'I want to know one thing first. Have you seen Mr. Egremont?'

'I haven't spoken to him since that night when I said good-bye to him
by the river. Can't you believe me?'

'I don't think you'd tell me an untruth.'

'If I'd spoken to him, Lyddy, I'd tell you at once; I would! I'd tell
you everything!'

'I must say what I mean, Thyrza; it's no good doing anything else. Tell
me this: does Mrs. Ormonde want you to marry him?'

Thyrza laughed strangely. Then she exclaimed:

'She doesn't! She wouldn't hear of such a thing, not for the world! She
wants to be kind to me in her own way, but not that; not that! How you
distrust me! Are _you_ against me, then? What are you thinking about? I
hoped you would be kind to me in everything. You don't look like my
Lyddy now.'

'It's because I don't understand you,' said the other, in a subdued
voice, her eyes on the ground. 'You're not open with me, Thyrza. If
it's true that Mrs. Ormonde thinks in that way, why do you--'

She broke off.

'I can't talk about it! It's very hard to bear. We shall never be what
we were to each other, Thyrza. Something's come between us, and it
always will be between us. You must take your own way, dear. Yes, I
promise, and there's an end of it.'

Thyrza sprang forward.

'What is it you're afraid of?' she pleaded. 'Why do you speak like
this? What are you thinking?'

'I think that Mr. Egremont 'll know where you are.'

'Lyddy, he won't know! I give you my solemn word he won't know.'

'Do you write to him? Perhaps you meant that, when you said you hadn't
_spoken_ to him?'

'I meant what I said, that I've neither written nor spoken, nor him to
me. He won't know where I am; I shall have nothing to do with him in
any way. But of course if you refuse to believe me, what's the use of
saying it!'

There was a strange intonation in Thyrza's voice as she added these
words. She looked and spoke with a certain pride, which Lydia had never
before remarked in her. Lydia mused a little, then said:

'I don't doubt the truth of your words, Thyrza. I promise not to tell
any one anything about you, and I'll keep my promise. But can't you
tell me what you're going to do?'

'I don't really k