nd steady, and so are his two sons. So, as I was saying, some day they
will be better off.'

Jacinth listened with the utmost attention. She was much gratified by
her hostess's confidence, and relieved, too, that no mention had been
made of any other Harper relatives.

'Bessie and Margaret are not Lord Elvedon's daughters, of course,' she
said to herself, 'so it does not seem as if they were near relations;
perhaps, after all, they are not relations at all. So I don't see that I
need bother my head about them; I might have mentioned them to Lady
Myrtle among the girls at school without her noticing it, I daresay.'

'This is too old talk for you, my dear,' said the old lady, after a
little silence.

'No, no indeed,' said Jacinth eagerly. 'I am so pleased you don't treat
me as a child, dear Lady Myrtle. And I love to think of you and my
grandmother long ago, when your families were almost relations, weren't
they?'

'Yes, truly--Jacinth and I often said we loved each other more than if
we had been sisters. That reminds me, my dear, that nice little sister
of yours must come to see me some day soon, and the boy too, the next
time you come. When shall that be?'

'Whenever you like, dear Lady Myrtle,' Jacinth replied.

'Well then, supposing you come again in a fortnight--next Saturday week,
that is to say. I will send for you as before, and the two children must
come with you and stay till six or seven; then I will send them home
again and you will remain with me till Monday morning. I must not be
selfish, otherwise I would gladly have you every week. But that would
not be fair to your aunt.'

'It wouldn't matter so much for Aunt Alison,' said Jacinth; 'I really
don't think she would mind. But Francie and Eugene would not like me to
be away every Sunday.'

'Then let us try to make it every other,' said Lady Myrtle. 'My dearest
child,' and she pressed the girl's hand, 'how I wish I could have you
with me altogether. But no, that would not do--it would not be a right
life for her'--she seemed as if she were speaking to herself. 'Tell me,
dear,' she went on, 'you do feel already _at home_ at Robin Redbreast?
I want you to learn to love the little place as well as its old
owner--who can't be its owner for ever,' she added in a lower voice, so
that less quick ears than Jacinth's would scarcely have caught the
words.

'I love it already dearly,' she replied. 'For your sake first of all, of
course, but for its own too.