‘She has slept, I hope, poor child?’

Bessie took him into the sitting-room, and explained Jane’s absence.

‘A good girl; a good girl,’ he remarked, after listening with elevated brows, ’But she must be careful of her health.  My visit this morning is on matters of business; no doubt she will tell you the principal points of our conversation afterwards.  An excellent friend you have been to her, Mrs. Byass—­excellent.’

‘I’m sure I don’t see how anyone could help liking her,’ said Bessie, inwardly delighted with the expectation of hearing at length what Jane’s circumstances really were.

‘Indeed, so good a friend,’ pursued Joseph, ’that I’m afraid it would distress her if she could no longer live with you.  And the fact is’—­he bent forward and smiled sadly—­’I’m sure I may speak freely to you, Mrs. Byass—­but the fact is, that I’m very doubtful indeed whether she could be happy if she lived with Mrs. Snowdon.  I suppose there’s always more or less difficulty where step-children are concerned, and in this case—­well, I fear the incompatibility would be too great.  To be sure, it places me in a difficult position.  Jane’s very young—­very young; only just turned seventeen, poor child!  Out of the question for her to live with strangers.  I had some hopes—­I wonder whether I ought to speak of it?  You know Mr. Kirkwood?’

’Yes, indeed.  I can’t tell you how surprised I was, Mr. Snowdon.  And there seems to be such a mystery about it, too.’

Bessie positively glowed with delight in such confidential talk.  It was her dread that Jane’s arrival might put an end to it before everything was revealed.

’A mystery, you may well say, Mrs. Byass.  I think highly of Mr. Kirkwood, very highly; but really in this affair!  It’s almost too painful to talk about—­to you.’

Bessie blushed, as becomes the Englishwoman of mature years when she is gracefully supposed to be ignorant of all it most behoves her to know.

’Well, well; he is on the point of marrying a young person with whom I should certainly not like my daughter to associate—­fortunately there is little chance of that.  You were never acquainted with Miss Hewett?’

‘Ye—­yes.  A long time ago.’

’Well, well; we must be charitable.  You know that she is dreadfully disfigured?’

’Disfigured?  Jane didn’t say a word about that.  She only told me that Mr. Kirkwood was going to marry her, and I didn’t like to ask too many questions.  I hadn’t even heard as she was at home.’

Joseph related to her the whole story, whilst Bessie fidgeted with satisfaction.

‘I thought,’ he added, ’that you could perhaps throw some light on the mystery.  We can only suppose that Kirkwood has acted from the highest motives, but I really think—­well, well, we won’t talk of it any more.  I was led to this subject from speaking of this poor girl’s position.  I wonder whether it will be possible for her to continue to live in your friendly care Mrs. Byass?’