reference to the chilliness and hardship of living with an
unsympathising sister, and being obliged to go to churches of which
they did not approve. Sometimes too there were airy castles of a
distant future to be shared by the magnificent architect, together
with Vera, while Paula nursed in the convent with Mother Beata and
Sister Philomena.

But all this did not prevent an excitement and eager laughter and
chatter whenever Wilfred Merrifield came in the way, and he certainly
was enough attracted by Vera's pretty face and lively graces to make
his sisters think him very absurd; but his mother had seen so many
passing fancies among her elder sons as to hold that blindness was
better than serious treatment.

There was the further effect that Magdalen had no suspicion that the
vehement attraction to St. Kenelm's went beyond the harmless quarter
of the two nursing Sisters and some hero worship of Mr. Flight. Miss
Mohun, who knew everything, had indeed hinted that something foolish
might be going on there; but Magdalen had not decided on the mutual
fairness of the two congregations, and deferred investigation till
Agatha should come home, when she would have a reasonable, if cold,
person to deal with. Nor did Thekla's chatter excite any suspicion;
for the only time when she had been present at a meeting with Mr.
Delrio, she had been half bribed, half threatened into silence, and
she was quite schoolgirl enough to feel that such was the natural
treatment of authority, though she had become really fond of
"sister."