That night, when Conrade and Francis were both fast
asleep, their mother and their governess sat over
the fire together, languid but happy, and told out
their hearts to one another—told out more
than Alison had ever put into words even to Ermine,
for her heart was softer and more unreserved now than
ever it had been since her sister’s accident
had crushed her youth. There was thenceforth
a bond between her and Lady Temple that gave the young
widow the strong-hearted, sympathizing, sisterly friend
she had looked for in Rachel, and that filled up those
yearnings of the affection that had at first made
Alison feel that Colin’s return made the world
dreary to her. Her life had a purpose, though
that purpose was not Ermine! But where were Edward
and his letter?
THE QUARTER SESSIONS.
“Is it so nominated in the bond?”—Merchant
of Venice.
Malgre her disinclination, Rachel had reached the
point of recovery in which the fresh air and change
of scene of the drive to Avoncester could not fail
to act as restoratives, and the first evening with
the Dean and his gentle old sister was refreshing
and comfortable to her spirits.
It was in the afternoon of the ensuing day that Mr.
Grey came to tell her that her presence would soon
be required, and both her mother and sister drove
to the court with her. Poor Mrs. Curtis, too
anxious to go away, yet too nervous to go into court,
chose, in spite of all Mr. Grey’s advice, to
remain in the carriage with the blinds closed, far
too miserable for Grace to leave her.
Rachel, though very white, called up a heroic smile,
and declared that she should get on very well.
Her spirit had risen to the occasion, so as to brace
her nerves to go becomingly through what was inevitable;
and she replied with a ready “yes,” to
Mr. Grey’s repetition of the advice for ever
dinned into her ears, not to say a word more than
needful, feeling indeed little disposed to utter anything
that she could avoid.
She emerged from the dark passage into full view of
faces which were far more familiar than she could
have wished. She would have greatly preferred
appearing before a judge, robed, wigged, and a stranger,
to coming thus before a country gentleman, slightly
known to herself, but an old friend of her father,
and looking only like his ordinary self.
All the world indeed was curious to see the encounter
between Rachel Curtis and her impostor, and every
one who had contributed so much as a dozen stamps
to the F. U. E. E. felt as if under a personal wrong
and grievance, while many hoped to detect other elements
of excitement, so that though all did not overtly
stare at the witness, not even the most considerate
could resist the impulse to glance at her reception
of the bow with which he greeted her entrance.
