CHAPTER XV.

“It is impossible, Estelle!  The girl is not a fool, and nothing less than idiocy can explain such conduct!”

Flushed and angry, Mrs. Murray walked up and down the floor of the sitting-room; and playing with the jet bracelet on her rounded arm, Miss Harding replied: 

“As Mrs. Inge happens to be his sister, I presume she speaks ex cathedra, and she certainly expressed very great delight at the failure of Gordon Leigh’s suit.  She told me that he was much depressed in consequence of Edna’s rejection, and manifested more feeling than she had deemed possible under the circumstances.  Of course she is much gratified that her family is saved from the disgrace of such a mesalliance.”

“You will oblige me by being more choice in the selection of your words, Estelle, as it is a poor compliment to me to remark that any man would be disgraced by marrying a girl whom I have raised and educated, and trained as carefully as if she were my own daughter.  Barring her obscure birth, Edna is as worthy of Gordon as any dainty pet of fashion who lounges in Clara Inge’s parlors, and I shall take occasion to tell her so if ever she hints at ‘mesalliance’ in my presence.”

“In that event she will doubtless retort by asking you in her bland and thoroughly well-bred style, whether you intend to give your consent to Edna’s marriage with my cousin, St. Elmo?”

Mrs. Murray stopped suddenly, and confronting her niece, said sternly: 

“What do you mean, Estelle Harding?”

“My dear aunt, the goodness of your heart has strangely blinded you to the character of the girl you have taken into your house, and honored with your confidence and affection.  Be patient with me while I unmask this shrewd little intrigante.  She is poor and unknown, and if she leaves your roof, as she pretends is her purpose, she must work for her own maintenance, which no one will do from choice, when an alternative of luxurious ease is within reach.  Mr. Leigh is very handsome, very agreeable, wealthy and intelligent, and is considered a fine match for any girl; yet your protegee discards him most positively, alleging as a reason that she does not love him, and prefers hard labor as a teacher to securing an elegant home by becoming his wife.  That she can decline so brilliant an offer seems to you incredible, but I knew from the beginning that she would not accept it.  My dear Aunt Ellen, she aspires to the honor of becoming your daughter-in-law, and can well afford to refuse Mr. Leigh’s hand, when she hopes to be mistress of Le Bocage.  She is pretty, and she knows it, and her cunning handling of her cards would really amuse and interest me, if I were not grieved at the deception she is practicing upon you.  It has, I confess, greatly surprised me that, with your extraordinary astuteness in other matters, you should prove so obtuse concerning the machinations