‘What engagement?’

’Why, Roger to Cynthia, to be sure.  I asked you how the squire took her letter, announcing the breaking of it off?’

’Oh—­I made a mistake.  He has not opened his letters to-day.  I saw Cynthia’s among them.’

‘Now that I call positive disrespect.’

‘I don’t know.  He did not mean it for such.  Where is Cynthia?’

’Gone out into the meadow-garden.  She’ll be in directly.  I wanted her to do some errands for me, but she flatly refused to go into the town.  I am afraid she mismanages her affairs sadly.  But she won’t allow me to interfere.  I hate to look at such things in a mercenary spirit, but it is provoking to see her throw over two such good matches.  First Mr. Henderson, and now Roger Hamley.  When does the squire expect Roger?  Does he think he will come back sooner for poor dear Osborne’s death?’

’I don’t know.  He hardly seems to think of anything but Osborne.  He seems to me to have almost forgotten every one else.  But perhaps the news of Osborne’s being married, and of the child, may rouse him up.’

Molly had no doubt that Osborne was really and truly married, nor had she any idea that her father had never breathed the facts of which she had told him on the previous night, to his wife or Cynthia.  But Mr. Gibson had been slightly dubious of the full legality of the marriage, and had not felt inclined to speak of it to his wife until that had been ascertained one way or another.  So Mrs. Gibson exclaimed, ’What do you mean, child?  Married!  Osborne married.  Who says so?’

’Oh, dear!  I suppose I ought not to have named it.  I am very stupid to-day.  Yes!  Osborne has been married a long time; but the squire did not know of it until this morning.  I think it has done him good.  But I don’t know.’

’Who is the lady?  Why, I call it a shame to go about as a single man, and be married all the time!  If there is one thing that revolts me, it is duplicity.  Who is the lady?  Do tell me all you know about it, there’s a dear.’

‘She is French, and a Roman Catholic,’ said Molly.

’French!  They are such beguiling women; and he was so much abroad!  You said there was a child,—­is it a boy or girl?’

‘I did not hear.  I did not ask.’

Molly did not think it necessary to do more than answer questions; indeed, she was vexed enough to have told anything of what her father evidently considered it desirable to keep secret.  Just then Cynthia came wandering into the room with a careless, hopeless look in her face, which Molly noticed at once.  She had not heard of Molly’s arrival, and had no idea that she was returned until she saw her sitting there.

’Molly, darling!  Is that you?  You’re as welcome as the flowers in May, though you’ve not been gone twenty-four hours.  But the house is not the same when you are away!’

‘And she brings us such news too!’ said Mrs. Gibson.  ’I’m really almost glad you wrote to the squire yesterday, for if you had waited till to-day—­I thought you were in too great a hurry at the time—­he might have thought you had some interested reason for giving up your engagement.  Osborne Hamley was married all this time unknown to everybody, and has got a child too.’