Part 2 (1/2)
”Yes, I think Betty is the name of one of the girls.”
”There are three,” said f.a.n.n.y. ”There's Betty, who is about my age; and then there are the twins, Sylvia and Hetty.”
”Then, of course, you _do_ know them, dear?”
”Yes, I know them. I went to stay with them in Scotland for a week during last holidays. My cousin--their aunt, Miss Vivian--was very ill, however, and we had to keep things rather quiet. They lived at a place called Craigie Muir--quite beautiful, you know, but very, very wild.”
”That doesn't matter, dear.”
”Well, why are you speaking to me about them? They are my cousins, and I spent a week with them not very long ago.”
”You observed how ill Miss Vivian was?”
”I used to hear that she was ill; Sylvia used to tell me. Betty couldn't stand anything sad or depressing, so I never spoke to her on the subject.”
”And you--you liked your cousins? You appreciated them, did you not, f.a.n.n.y?”
”I didn't know them very well,” said f.a.n.n.y in a slightly evasive voice.
Miss Symes felt her heart sink within her. She knew f.a.n.n.y Crawford well.
She was the last girl to say a word against another; at the same time she was exceedingly truthful.
”Well, dear,” said Miss Symes, ”your father came here yesterday in order to----”
”To see me, of course,” interrupted f.a.n.n.y; ”to tell me that he was going to India. Poor darling dad! It was a terrible blow!”
”Sir John came here on other business also, f.a.n.n.y. He wanted to see Mrs.
Haddo. You know that poor Miss Vivian is dead?”
”Oh, yes,” said f.a.n.n.y. Then she added impulsively, ”Betty will be in a terrible state!”
”It may be in your power to comfort her, dear.”
”To comfort Betty Vivian! What do you mean?”
”It has just been arranged between Mrs. Haddo and your father, who is now the guardian of the girls, that they are all three to come here as pupils in the school. They will arrive here on Monday. You are glad, are you not, Fan?”
f.a.n.n.y started to her feet. She stood very still, staring straight before her.
”You are glad--of course, f.a.n.n.y?”
f.a.n.n.y then turned and faced her governess. ”Do you want the truth, or--or--a lie?”
”f.a.n.n.y, my dear, how can you speak to me in that tone? Of course I want the truth.”
”Then I am not glad.”
”But, my dear, consider. Those poor girls--they are orphans almost in a double sense. They are practically alone in the world. They are your cousins. You must have a very strong reason for saying what you have said--that you are not glad.”