Miss Starbrow then sent for the cook. "What does this mean about Rosie's
going?" she demanded of that person. "How came you to let her go without
informing me?"

"She came down and said she had had some words with you, and was going to
leave because Miss Fan had been took back."

"And the wretch has then got away with my jewellery! What else did she
say?"

"Nothing very good, ma'am. I'd rather not tell you."

"Tell me at once when I order you."

"I asked if she was going without her wages and a character, and she said
as you had paid her her wages, \and she didn't want a character, because
she didn't consider the house was respectable."

Miss Starbrow sent her away and closed the door; presently she sat down
at some distance from Fan, but spoke no word. Fan was in a low easy-chair
near the window, through which the sun was shining very brightly. She
looked pale and languid, resting her cheek on her palm and never moving;
only at intervals, when Miss Starbrow, with an exclamation of rage, would
rise and take a few steps about the room and then drop into her seat
again, the girl would raise her eyes and glance at her. All the keen
suffering, the strife, the bitterness of heart and anger were over, and
the reaction had come. It had all been a mistake; Mary had never dreamt
of doing her harm: the whole trouble had been brought about by Captain
Horton and Rosie; but she remembered them with a strange indifference;