'She is an exceedingly sensitive girl, and is now a little overwrought. The
events of the last month have proved too much for her.'

'Mr. Grandly informed me that it was Mr. Burnett's intention to add a
codicil to his will, leaving Miss Watson three hundred a year. This money I
am prepared to give her, and I'm quite sure she is welcome to stay here as
long as she pleases. Indeed, she will do me a great favour by remaining.
Please go and tell her. I cannot bear to see a girl cry; to hear her sob
like that is quite terrible.'

'You will be able to tell her yourself during the course of the evening. I
think it will come better from you.'

'After what has happened, it will be very difficult for me to meet her
until she is informed that she is mistaken. I charged Mr. Grandly to
explain everything in his letter. Apparently he omitted to do so.'

'He only said you wanted to see Emily on a matter of business. Of course we
did not expect such generosity.'

They were standing quite close together, and suddenly Hubert became
conscious of Mrs. Bentley's beauty. Her blue eyes were at that moment full
of tender admiration for the instinctive generosity which Hubert so
unwittingly exhibited, and her eyes told what was passing in her soul.
Suddenly they both seemed to understand each other better, and, playing
with the bracelet on her arm, she said--

'You do not know Emily; she is strangely sensitive. But I will go and try
to persuade her to return.... Although only distantly related, you are
cousins, after all--are you not?'