Rose remembered her fretful unkindness to Evan on the subject of his birth, when her feelings toward him were less warm.  Dwelling on that alone, she put her arms round Juliana’s stiffening figure, and said:  ‘I dare say I am much more selfish than you.  Forgive me, dear.’

Staring at her, Juliana replied, ‘Now you are acting.’

‘No,’ said Rose, with a little effort to fondle her; ’I only feel that I love you better for loving him.’

Generous as her words sounded, and were, Juliana intuitively struck to the root of them, which was comfortless.  For how calm in its fortune, how strong in its love, must Rose’s heart be, when she could speak in this unwonted way!

‘Go, and leave me, pray,’ she said.

Rose kissed her burning cheek.  ’I will do as you wish, dear.  Try and know me better, and be sister Juley as you used to be.  I know I am thoughtless, and horribly vain and disagreeable sometimes.  Do forgive me.  I will love you truly.’

Half melting, Juliana pressed her hand.

‘We are friends?’ said Rose.  ‘Good-bye’; and her countenance lighted, and she moved away, so changed by her happiness!  Juliana was jealous of a love strong as she deemed her own to overcome obstacles.  She called to her:  ’Rose!  Rose, you will not take advantage of what I have told you, and repeat it to any one?’

Instantly Rose turned with a glance of full contempt over her shoulder.

‘To whom?’ she asked.

‘To any one.’

‘To him?  He would not love me long if I did!’

Juliana burst into fresh tears, but Rose walked into the sunbeams and the circle of the music.

Mounting Olympus, she inquired whether Ferdinand was within hail, as they were pledged to dance the first dance together.  A few hints were given, and then Rose learnt that Ferdinand had been dismissed.

‘And where is he?’ she cried with her accustomed impetuosity.  ’Mama!—­of course you did not accuse him—­but, Mama! could you possibly let him go with the suspicion that you thought him guilty of writing an anonymous letter?’

‘Not at all,’ Lady Jocelyn replied.  ’Only the handwriting was so extremely like, and he was the only person who knew the address and the circumstances, and who could have a motive—­though I don’t quite see what it is—­I thought it as well to part for a time.’

‘But that’s sophistry!’ said Rose.  ’You accuse or you exonerate.  Nobody can be half guilty.  If you do not hold him innocent you are unjust!’ Lady Jocelyn rejoined:  ’Yes?  It’s singular what a stock of axioms young people have handy for their occasions.’

Rose loudly announced that she would right this matter.

‘I can’t think where Rose gets her passion for hot water,’ said her mother, as Rose ran down the ledge.

Two or three young gentlemen tried to engage her for a dance.  She gave them plenty of promises, and hurried on till she met Evan, and, almost out of breath, told him the shameful injustice that had been done to her friend.