She says if she’d ever so little money of her own, she’d leave the house altogether.  She’s been telling me I’ve no feeling, and that I’m going to the bad, that I shall live to disgrace her, and I can’t tell you what.  Everything is so miserable!  She says it’s all the money, and that she knew from the first how it would be.  And I’m afraid some of what she says is true, I am indeed, Emma.  But things happen in a way you could never think.  I half wish myself the money had never come.  It’s making us all miserable.’

Emma listened, expecting from phrase to phrase some word which would be to her a terrible enlightenment But Alice had ceased, and the word still unspoken.

‘You say he sent me a message?’

She did not ask directly the cause of Mrs. Mutimer’s anger.  Instinct told her that to hear the message would explain all else.

‘Emma, I’m afraid to tell you.  You’ll blame me, like mother did.’

‘I shan’t blame you, Alice.  Will you please tell me the message?’

Emma’s lips seemed to speak without her volition.  The rest o her face was fixed and cold.

‘He’s married, Emma.’

‘He asked you to tell me?’

Alice was surprised at the self-restraint proved by so quiet an interrogation.

’Yes, he did.  Emma, I’m so, so sorry!  If only you’ll believe I’m sorry, Emma!  He made me come and tell you.  He said if I didn’t you’d have to find out by chance, because he couldn’t for shame tell you himself.  And he couldn’t tell mother neither.  I’ve had it all to do.  If you knew what I’ve gone through with mother!  It’s very hard that other people should suffer so much just on his account.  I am really sorry for you, Emma.’

‘Who is it he’s married?’ Emma asked.  Probably all the last speech had been but a vague murmur to her ears.

‘Some one at Wanley.’

‘A lady?’

‘Yes, I suppose she’s a lady.’

‘You didn’t see her, then?’

‘Yes, I saw her.  I don’t like her.’

Poor Alice meant this to be soothing.  Emma knew it, and smiled.

‘I don’t think she cares much after all,’ Alice said to herself.

‘But was that the message?’

‘Only to tell you of it, Emma.  There was something else,’ she added immediately; ’not exactly a message, but he told me, and I dare say he thought I should let you know.  He said that of course you were to have the money still as usual.’

Over the listener’s face came a cloud, a deep, turbid red.  It was not anger, but shame which rose from the depths of her being.  Her head sank; she turned and walked aside.

‘You’re not angry with me, Emma?’

‘Not angry at all, Alice,’ was the reply in a monotone.

’I must say good-bye now.  I hope you won t take on much.  And I hope Jane ‘ll soon be better.’

’Thank you.  I must go up to her; she doesn’t like me to be away long.’