ouse and the unexpected confidences
of Lady Myrtle Goodacre; the more so that she had at first allowed her
imagination to run wild on all the possibilities thus opened up. And to
Frances it was even more bewildering to remember the glimpse vouchsafed
to her by her young friends into their past family history. For though
they were both as affectionate and friendly as before--more so, indeed,
it seemed to her--neither by word nor allusion was the Saturday's
conversation referred to. Margaret had evidently promised Bessie to keep
off the subject, and Frances of course could but do the same.

'Perhaps,' she thought to herself, 'they will never speak of it again to
me; perhaps that is what their mother has told them she wished. But
after all, it doesn't look as if this would much matter, for there is no
sign that Lady Myrtle means to take any more notice of us, not even of
poor Jass. I'm not surprised; any one that can be so unkind about her
own relations _can't_ be very nice.'

Frances was sorry for Jacinth, and a little disappointed for herself,
and there had still lingered in her some dim hopes that possibly
_somehow_ their own acquaintance with the old lady might have been of
use to her friends. Jacinth, though she said nothing, was feeling very
chagrined indeed, and not a little bitter.

What could have happened to change Lady Myrtle so? Could it be that she
was really very fanciful and whimsical? It scarcely seemed so,
considering that she had written so promptly to Miss Mildmay, not losing
even one post! And this thought suggested another explanation. Could
their aunt's letter in reply have contained something to annoy the old
lady? Jacinth began to be very much afraid it must be so, and it made
her very vexed with Miss Mildmay, though she did not in the least
suppose it had been done _intentionally_.

'Aunt Alison is perfectly straightforward,' thought the girl. 'If she
meant to stop our going to Robin Redbreast, she would have said so right
out. But she may have written in a stiff, stuck-up way, as if it would
be a great favour to let us go, which would very likely offend Lady
Myrtle. I do think she might have told me what she said.'

And but for Miss Mildmay's being particularly busy that week, and very
engrossed by some unexpected difficulties which had arisen in connection
with one of her benevolent works, she could scarcely have failed to
notice Jacinth's extremely icy manner and unusual silence.

But on F