’Yes, indeed, he did!  I don’t think he ever got over the cold he caught that day.  I wish you had known him, Molly.  I sometimes wonder what would have happened if you had been my real daughter, and Cynthia dear papa’s, and Mr. Kirkpatrick and your own dear mother had all lived.  People talk a good deal about natural affinities.  It would have been a question for a philosopher.’  She began to think on the impossibilities she had suggested.

‘I wonder how the poor little boy is?’ said Molly, after a pause, speaking out her thoughts.

’Poor little child!  When one thinks how little his prolonged existence is to be desired, one feels that his death would be a boon.’

‘Mamma! what do you mean?’ asked Molly, much shocked.  ’Why every one cares for his life as the most precious thing!  You have never seen him!  He is the bonniest, sweetest little fellow that can be!  What do you mean?’

’I should have thought that the squire would have desired a better-born heir than the offspring of a servant,—­with all his ideas about descent, and blood, and family.  And I should have thought that it was a little mortifying to Roger—­who must naturally have looked upon himself as his brother’s heir—­to find a little interloping child, half French, half English, stepping into his shoes!’

’You don’t know how fond they are of him,—­the squire looks upon him as the apple of his eye.’

’Molly!  Molly! pray don’t let me hear you using such vulgar expressions.  When shall I teach you true refinement—­that refinement which consists in never even thinking a vulgar, commonplace thing?  Proverbs and idioms are never used by people of education.  “Apple of his eye!” I am really shocked.’

’Well, mamma, I’m very sorry; but after all, what I wanted to say as strongly as I could was, that the squire loves the little boy as much as his own child; and that Roger—­oh! what a shame to think that Roger—­’ And she stopped suddenly short, as if she were choked.

‘I don’t wonder at your indignation, my dear!’ said Mrs. Gibson.  ’It is just what I should have felt at your age.  But one learns the baseness of human nature with advancing years.  I was wrong, though, to undeceive you so early—­but depend upon it, the thought I alluded to has crossed Roger Hamley’s mind!’

’All sorts of thoughts cross one’s mind—­it depends upon whether one gives them harbour and encouragement,’ said Molly.

’My dear, if you must have the last word, don’t let it be a truism.  But let us talk on some more interesting subject.  I asked Cynthia to buy me a silk gown in Paris, and I said I would send her word what colour I fixed upon—­I think dark blue is the most becoming to my complexion; what do you say?’

Molly agreed, sooner than take the trouble of thinking about the thing at all; she was far too full of her silent review of all the traits in Roger’s character which had lately come under her notice, and that gave the lie direct to her stepmother’s supposition.  Just then they heard Mr. Gibson’s step downstairs.  But it was some time before he made his entrance into the room where they were sitting.