“No,” said Helen.  “But I should be afraid if Georgiana wasn’t afraid.”

After this example of courageous introspection, a silence fell upon the pair; the silence held firm while they got out of the grounds and crossed Oldcastle-road, and took to the Alls field-path, from which a unique panorama of Bursley—­chimneys, kilns, canals, railways, and smoke-pall—­is to be obtained.  Helen was determined not to break the silence.  And then came the moment when Sarah Swetnam could no longer suffer the silence; and she began, very cautiously: 

“I suppose you’ve heard all about Andrew and Emanuel Prockter?”

Helen perceived that she had not been mistaken, and that the scene was at hand.  “No,” said she.  “What about them?”

“You don’t mean to say you’ve not heard?”

“No.  What about?”

“The quarrel between those two?”

“Emanuel and Mr. Dean?”

“Yes.  But you must have heard?”

“I assure you, Sally, no one has told me a word about it.” (Which was just as true as it was untrue.)

“But they quarrelled up here.  I did hear that Andrew threw Emanuel into your lake.”

“Who told you that?”

“It was Mrs. Prockter.  She was calling on the mater yesterday, and she seemed to be full of it—­according to the mater’s account.  Mrs. Prockters’ idea was that they had quarrelled about a woman.”

("Mrs. Prockter shall be repaid for this,” said Helen to herself.)

“Surely Emanuel hasn’t been falling in love with Lilian, has he?” said Helen, aloud.  She considered this rather clever on her part.  And it was.

“Oh, no!” replied Sally, positively.  “It’s not Lilian.”  And there was that in her tone which could not be expressed in ten volumes.  “You know perfectly well who the woman is,” Helen seemed to hear her say.

Then Helen said:  “I think I can explain it.  They were both at our house the day we removed.”

“Oh, were they?” murmured Sarah, in well-acted surprise.

“And Mr. Dean fell off some steps that Emanuel was supposed to be holding.  I thought he was furious—­but not to that point.  That’s probably the secret of the whole thing.  As for Mr. Dean having pushed Emanuel into the lake, I don’t believe a word of it.”

“Then how was it that Emanuel had a cold and had to stay in bed?”

“My dear, to have a cold it isn’t necessary to have been thrown into Wilbraham Water!”

“That’s true,” Sarah admitted.

“However,” Helen calmly proceeded, “I’ll find out all about it and let you know.”

“How shall you find out?”

“I shall make Emanuel tell me.  He will tell me anything.  And he’s a dear boy.”

“Do you see him often up here?” Sarah inquired.

“Oh, yes!” This was not true.  “We get on together excellently.  And I’m pretty sure that Emanuel is not—­well—­interested in any other woman.  That’s why I should say that they have not been quarrelling about a woman.  Unless, of course, the woman is myself.”  She laughed, and added:  “But I’m not jealous.  I can trust Emanuel.”