she felt she must not give way to it, for fear of bursting out crying;
and she had instinct enough to feel that, as she was left at the
Towers, the less trouble she gave, the more she kept herself out of
observation, the better.

She followed the ladies out of the dining-room, almost hoping that no
one would see her. But that was impossible, and she immediately became
the subject of conversation between the awful Lady Cumnor and her kind
neighbour at dinner.

'Do you know, I thought this young lady was French when I first saw
her? she has got the black hair and eyelashes, and grey eyes, and
colourless complexion which one meets with in some parts of France, and
I knew Lady Cuxhaven was trying to find a well-educated girl who would
be a pleasant companion to her children.'

'No!' said Lady Cumnor, looking very stern, as Molly thought. 'She is
the daughter of our medical man at Hollingford; she came with the
school visitors this morning, and she was overcome by the heat and fell
asleep in Clare's room, and somehow managed to oversleep herself, and
did not waken up till all the carriages were gone. We will send her
home to-morrow morning, but for to-night she must stay here, and Clare
is kind enough to say she may sleep with her.'

There was an implied blame running through this speech, that Molly felt
like needle-points all over her. Lady Cuxhaven came up at this moment.
Her tone was as deep, her manner of speaking as abrupt and
authoritative, as her mother's, but Molly felt the kinder nature
underneath.