“My dear Alice, forgive me—­I could not help it, I was so frightened.  You must not tell anybody, not even your sister, about it; but that woman is my own mother, and I could not get her to go away.  I did not like your being so much with her, but I could not help it, for she would do it.  Do forgive me.”

“Certainly, I forgive you from my heart,” said Elsie.

“And Mr. Brandon has told me all about you and him, and I really wish you joy.  You are going to have a good husband—­not so good a one as mine, but still a very good one.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Phillips.  I hope to be able to make him happy—­at least I will try my very best to do so.” said Elsie.

“And you must make allowances for me, for you can see how I was brought up.  I know I have been very often cross with you, but you must forgive all these old things; and I suppose it had better be before we leave Melbourne.  We must write for Emily to come down, for she will want to be bridesmaid, and Mr. Brandon says she shall, and we must set to get your things all in a hurry.”

“There’s time enough to talk of all these matters,” said Elsie.  “I have scarcely begun to believe that I am engaged yet.”

“Oh, but Mr. Brandon wants to speak to you on business, and what other business can there be?  So go into the drawing-room, and he will perhaps show you that there is some need to think of these things.”

But Mr. Brandon did not bewilder Elsie with asking her to fix any time, though he was determined to be married before going out of town, if possible; but he had to get from her extracts from her uncle’s will, which she recollected nearly word for word, and instructions as to how to proceed with Mrs. Peck; also, as much as she knew of Mr. Hogarth’s letters to Madame de Vericourt, to show the relations between him and Elizabeth Ormistown, so far as she knew of them.  There was also a good deal of other talk to go through on subjects personal to themselves, which they both thought exceedingly interesting, and Brandon would not believe till he looked at his watch that he had kept Mrs. Phillips out of her own drawing-room for two hours.

Chapter IX.

Mrs. Peck’s Communication

Mrs. Peck was surprised and a little disconcerted when, on the evening of the day on which she had so nearly confided her secret to Elsie, Mr. Brandon walked into her lodgings unannounced; but she concealed her chagrin with her usual duplicity.  Though she was desirous of further communication with Elsie, she preferred it to be with herself, and not through a person who had spoken so uncivilly to her.

“You did not think it worth while for me to give Miss Melville and you my address, but I see that you are making use of it without delay,” said she.

“Yes, I am, for I want to know if I cannot transact the business which I interrupted,” said Brandon.