‘Let me see,’ said Eleanor, rising, and setting off to the storeroom; Emily and Lily followed, with a sad suspicion of the truth.  On the way they looked into the nursery, to give little Henry to his nurse, and to ask Jane, who was sitting with Ada, what she remembered about it.  Jane knew nothing, and they went on to the storeroom, where Eleanor, quite in her element, began rummaging, arranging, and sighing over the confusion, while Lily lent a helping hand, and Emily stood by, wishing that her sister would not trouble herself.  Presently Jane came running up with a saucer in her hand, containing a quarter of a quince and some syrup, which she said she had found in the nursery cupboard, in searching for a puzzle which Ada wanted.

‘And,’ said Jane, ’I should guess that Miss Ada herself knew something about it, for when I could not find the puzzle in the right-hand cupboard, she was so very unwilling that I should look into that one; she said there was nothing there but the boys’ old playthings and Esther’s clothes.  And I do not know whether you saw how she fidgeted when you were talking about the quinces, before you went up.’

‘It is much too plain,’ sighed Lily.  ’Oh!  Rachel, why did we not listen to you?’

‘Do you suppose,’ said Eleanor, ’that Ada has been in the habit of taking the key and helping herself?’

‘No,’ said Emily, ‘but that Esther has helped her.’

‘Ah!’ said Eleanor, ’I never thought it wise to take her, but how could she get the key?  You do not mean that you trusted it out of your own keeping.’

‘It began while we were ill,’ faltered Emily, ’and afterwards it was difficult to bring matters into their former order.’

‘But oh, Eleanor, what is to be done?’ sighed Lily.

‘Speak to papa, of course,’ said Eleanor.  ’He is gone to the castle, and in the meantime we had better take an exact account of everything here.’

‘And Esther?  And Ada?’ inquired the sisters.

’I think it will be better to speak to him before making so grave an accusation,’ said Eleanor.

They now commenced that wearisome occupation—­a complete setting-to-rights; Eleanor counted, weighed, and measured, and extended her cares from the stores to every other household matter.  Emily made her escape, and went to sit with Ada; but Lily and Jane toiled for several hours with Eleanor, till Lily was so heated and wearied that she was obliged to give up a walk to Broomhill, and spend another day without a talk with Alethea.  However, she was so patient, ready, and good-humoured, that Eleanor was well pleased with her.  She could hardly think of the slight vexation, when her mind was full of sorrow and shame on Esther’s account.  It was she who, contrary to the advice of her elders, had insisted on bringing her into the house; she had allowed temptation to be set in her way, and had not taken sufficient pains to strengthen her principles; and how could she do otherwise than feel guilty of all Esther’s faults, and of those into which she had led Adeline?