To my relief, she treated the whole matter very coolly, and with a mixture of shrewdness and common sense that quite surprised me.

She assured me that it was not of the least consequence.  Young creatures like Jocelyn must pass through this sort of experiences.  She was certainly rather young for such an experiment, but it would do her no harm.  On the contrary, a little stimulus of gratified vanity might be extremely beneficial in its after-effects.  She was somewhat backward and childish for her age.  She would have more self-respect at finding herself the object of masculine admiration.

‘Depend upon it, it will do her a great deal of good,’ went on Aunt Philippa placidly.  ’She will try now in earnest to break herself off her little gaucheries.  As for Mr. Tudor, do not distress yourself about him.  He is young enough to have half-a-dozen butterfly fancies before he settles down seriously.’

‘I remember,’ she continued, ’that during Sara’s first season we had rather a trouble about a young barrister.  He was a handsome fellow, but terribly poor, and your uncle told me privately that he must not be encouraged.  Well, Sara got it into her head that she was in love with him, and, in spite of all I could say to her by way of warning, she would promise him dances, and, in fact, they did a good bit of flirting together.  So I told your uncle that we had better leave town earlier that year.  We went into Yorkshire, paying visits, and then to Scotland.  Sara had never been there before, and we took care that she should have a thoroughly enjoyable trip.  My dear, before three months were over she had forgotten Henry Brabazon’s existence.  It was just a girlish sentimentality; nothing more.  When we got back to town we made Mr. Brabazon understand that his attentions were displeasing to your uncle, and before the next season he was engaged to a rich young widow.  I do not believe Sara ever missed him.’

I listened to all this in silence.  I was much relieved to find that Aunt Philippa was not disposed to blame me for Lawrence Tudor’s infatuation.  She told me that she was not the least afraid of his influence, and should not discourage his visits.  Jocelyn would never see him alone, and it was not likely that she would be staying at Heathfield again.  I thought it useless to say any more.  I had satisfied my conscience, and might now safely wash my hands of all responsibility.  If the thought crossed my mind that Jill was very different from Sara,—­that her will was stronger and her affections more tenacious,—­there was no need to give it utterance.  Sixteen was hardly the age for a serious love-affair, and I might well be content to leave Jill in her mother’s care.

Now and then a doubt of Aunt Philippa’s wisdom came to me,—­on the last evening, for instance, when I was speaking to Jill about Heathfield, and when I rather incautiously mentioned Lawrence Tudor’s name.

I recollected then that Jill had never once spoken of him since the night of the accident.  It had dropped completely out of our conversation.  I forget what I said then, but it was something about my seeing him at Heathfield.