"I think she ought to hear it quietly at home first (whether it be true
or not), to prepare her for anything that may be reported abroad.
Perhaps, if you were to drop, as we sit together here, what Mrs Enderby
said--"
"No, no; not I," said Hope, quickly. He went on more calmly: "Her
sister and bosom friend is the only person to do this--if, indeed, it
ought to be done. But the news may be untrue; and then she need perhaps
never hear it. Do not let us be in a hurry."
Hester thought that if Margaret felt nothing more than friendship for
Enderby, she would still consider herself ill-used; for the friendship
had been so close an one that she might reasonably expect that she
should not be left to learn such an event as this from common report.
But was it certain, Hope asked, that she had anything new to learn? Was
it certain that she was not in his confidence all this time--that she
had not known ten times as much as Mrs Rowland from the beginning?
Certainly not from the beginning, Hester said; and she had a strong
persuasion that Margaret was as ignorant as themselves of Enderby's
present proceedings and intentions.
At this moment, a note was brought in. It was from Mrs Enderby to Mr
Hope, written hurriedly, and blistered with tears. It told that she had
been extremely wrong in mentioning to him prematurely what was uppermost
in her mind about a certain family affair, and begged the great favour
of him to keep to himself what she had divulged, and, if possible, to
forget it. Once more, Mr Hope unconsciously sighed. It was at the
idea that he could forget such a piece of intelligence.
"Poor old lady!" said Hester; "she has been taken to task, I suppose,
for relieving her mind to you. But, Edward, this looks more and more as
if the news were true. My darling Margaret! How will it be with her?
Does it not look too like being true, love?"
"It looks as if Enderby's family all believed it, certainly. This note
settles the matter of our duty, however. If the affair is so private
that Mrs Enderby is to be punished for telling me, it is hardly likely
that Margaret will hear it by out-door chance. You are spared the task
for the present at least, my dear!"
"I should like to be sure that Margaret does not love--that she might
pass through life without loving," said Hester, sighing, "But here she
comes! Burn the note!"
The note curled in the flames, was consumed, and its ashes fluttered up
the chimney, and Margaret did not enter. She had gone straight
up-stairs. She did not come down till dinner was on the table. She was
then prepared with the announcement that the snow-boots might be looked
for very soon. She told of her visit to Widow Rye's, and had something
to say of the probability of snow; but she was rather absent, and she
took wine. These were all the circumstances that her anxious sister
could fix upon, during dinner, for silent comment. After dinner, having
eaten an orange with something like avidity, Margaret withdrew for a
very few minutes. As the door closed behind her, Hester whispered--
"She has heard. She knows. Is it not so?"
"There is no question about it," replied Hope, examining the screen he
held in his hand.
"I wonder who can have told her."
"Tellers of bad news are never wanting, especially in Deerbrook," said
Hope, with a bitterness of tone which Hester had never heard from him
before.
Margaret took up the other screen when she returned, and played with it
till the table was cleared, so that she could have the use of her
work-box. It was Morris who removed the dessert.
"Morris," said Mr Hope, as she was leaving the room, "I want Charles:
pray send him."
"Charles is out, sir."
"Out! when will he be back?"
"He will be back presently," said Margaret. "I sent him with a note to
Maria."
As she leant over her work again, Hester and her husband exchanged
glances.
An answer from Maria soon arrived. Margaret read it as she sat, her
brother and sister carefully withdrawing their observation from her.
Whatever else might be in the note, she read aloud the latter part--two
or three lines relating to the incident of the morning. Her voice was
husky, but her manner was gay. During the whole evening she was gay.
She insisted on making tea, and was too quick with the kettle for Edward
to help her. She proposed music, and she sang--song after song. Hester
was completely relieved about her; and even Edward gave himself up to
the hope that all was well with her. From music they got to dancing.
Margaret had learned, by sitting with Maria during the children's
dancing-lesson, a new dance which had struck her fancy, and they must be
ready with it next week at Dr Levitt's. Alternately playing the dance
and teaching it, she ran from the piano to them, and from them to the
piano, till they were perfect, and her face was as flushed as it could
possibly be at Mrs Levitt's dance next week. But in the midst of this
flush, Hope saw a shiver: and Hester remarked, that during the teaching,
Margaret had, evidently without being aware of it, squeezed her hand
with a force which could not have been supposed to be in her. These
things made Hope still doubt.