She moved as if to go away, but her heart had been made uneasy by
that short conversation which followed on Marian's reading the
letter, and there were still things she wished to put into words.

'If those young ladies go on writing to her, I dare say they'll
often speak about their brother.'

'Yes, it's rather unfortunate.'

'And you know, Alfred, he may have asked them to do it.'

'I suppose there's one subject on which all women can be subtle,'
muttered Yule, smiling. The remark was not a kind one, but he did
not make it worse by his tone.

The listener failed to understand him, and looked with her
familiar expression of mental effort.

'We can't help that,' he added, with reference to her suggestion.
'If he has any serious thoughts, well, let him go on and wait for
opportunities.'

'It's a great pity, isn't it, that she can't see more people--of
the right kind?'

'No use talking about it. Things are as they are. I can't see
that her life is unhappy.'

'It isn't very happy.'