Part 45 (1/2)
Emily answered the last question readily enough. Mr. Wyvil went on with his inquiries. ”About the mysterious lady, with the strange name,” he proceeded--”do you know anything of her?”
Emily related what she knew; without revealing the true reason for Miss Jethro's departure from Netherwoods. In after years, it was one of her most treasured remembrances, that she had kept secret the melancholy confession which had startled her, on the last night of her life at school.
Mr. Wyvil looked at Alban's letter again. ”Do you know how Miss Jethro became acquainted with Mr. Mirabel?” he asked.
”I didn't even know that they were acquainted.”
”Do you think it likely--if Mr. Morris had been talking to you instead of writing to you--that he might have said more than he has said in his letter?”
Cecilia had hitherto remained a model of discretion. Seeing Emily hesitate, temptation overcame her. ”Not a doubt of it, papa!” she declared confidently.
”Is Cecilia right?” Mr. Wyvil inquired.
Reminded in this way of her influence over Alban, Emily could only make one honest reply. She admitted that Cecilia was right.
Mr. Wyvil thereupon advised her not to express any opinion, until she was in a better position to judge for herself. ”When you write to Mr.
Morris,” he continued, ”say that you will wait to tell him what you think of Miss Jethro, until you see him again.”
”I have no prospect at present of seeing him again,” Emily said.
”You can see Mr. Morris whenever it suits him to come here,” Mr. Wyvil replied. ”I will write and ask him to visit us, and you can inclose the invitation in your letter.”
”Oh, Mr. Wyvil, how good of you!”
”Oh, papa, the very thing I was going to ask you to do!”
The excellent master of Monksmoor looked unaffectedly surprised. ”What are you two young ladies making a fuss about?” he said. ”Mr. Morris is a gentleman by profession; and--may I venture to say it, Miss Emily?--a valued friend of yours as well. Who has a better claim to be one of my guests?”
Cecilia stopped her father as he was about to leave the room. ”I suppose we mustn't ask Mr. Mirabel what he knows of Miss Jethro?” she said.
”My dear, what can you be thinking of? What right have we to question Mr. Mirabel about Miss Jethro?”
”It's so very unsatisfactory, papa. There must be some reason why Emily and Mr. Mirabel ought not to meet--or why should Miss Jethro have been so very earnest about it?”
”Miss Jethro doesn't intend us to know why, Cecilia. It will perhaps come out in time. Wait for time.”
Left together, the girls discussed the course which Alban would probably take, on receiving Mr. Wyvil's invitation.
”He will only be too glad,” Cecilia a.s.serted, ”to have the opportunity of seeing you again.”
”I doubt whether he will care about seeing me again, among strangers,”
Emily replied. ”And you forget that there are obstacles in his way. How is he to leave his cla.s.s?”
”Quite easily! His cla.s.s doesn't meet on the Sat.u.r.day half-holiday. He can be here, if he starts early, in time for luncheon; and he can stay till Monday or Tuesday.”
”Who is to take his place at the school?”
”Miss Ladd, to be sure--if _you_ make a point of it. Write to her, as well as to Mr. Morris.”