Jane’s tears by this time were flowing fast, and finding that she no longer attempted to defend herself, her cousin said no more.  He joined the others, and Jane, escaping to her own room, gave way to a passionate fit of crying.  Whether her tears were of true sorrow or of anger she could not have told herself; she was still sobbing on her bed when the darkness came on, and her two little sisters came in on their way to bed to wish her good-night.

‘Oh, Jane, Jane! what is the matter? have you been naughty?’ asked the little girls in great amazement.

‘Never mind,’ said Jane, shortly; ‘good-night,’ and she sat up and wiped away her tears.  The children still lingered.  ‘Go away, do,’ said she.  ‘Is Robert gone?’

‘No,’ said Phyllis, ‘he is reading the newspaper.’

Phyllis and Adeline left the room, and Jane walked up and down, considering whether she should venture to go down to tea; perhaps her cousin had waited till the little girls had gone before he spoke to Mr. Mohun, or perhaps her red eyes might cause questions on her troubles; she was still in doubt when Lily opened the door, a lamp in her hand.

’My dear Jenny, are you here?  Ada told me you were crying, what is the matter?’

‘Then you have not heard?’ said Jane.

’Only Robert began just now, “Poor Jenny, she has been the cause of getting us into a very awkward scrape,” but then Ada came to tell me about you, and I came away.’

‘Yes,’ said Jane, angrily, ’he will throw all the blame upon me, when I am sure it was quite as much the fault of that horrible Mrs. Appleton, and papa will be as angry as possible.’

‘But what has happened?’ asked Lily.

’Oh! that chatterer, that worst of gossipers, has gone and told the Naylors and Mrs. Gage all we said about them the other day.’

‘So you told Mrs. Appleton?’ said Lily; ’so that was the reason you were so obliging about the marking thread.  Oh, Jane, you had better say no more about Mrs. Appleton!  And has it done much mischief?’

’Oh!  Mrs. Gage “pitched” into Robert, as Wat Greenwood would say, and the christening is off again.’

‘Jane, this is frightful,’ said Lily; ’I do not wonder that you are unhappy.’

‘Well, I daresay it will all come right again,’ said Jane; ’there will only be a little delay, papa and Robert will bring them to their senses in time.’

‘Suppose the baby was to die,’ said Lily.

‘Oh, it will not die,’ said Jane, ’a great fat healthy thing like that likely to die indeed!’

‘I cannot make you out, Jane,’ said Lily.  ’If I had done such a thing, I do not think I could have a happy minute till it was set right.’

‘Well, I told you I was very sorry,’ said Jane, ’only I wish they would not all be so hard upon me.  Robert owns that he should not have said such things if he did not wish them to be repeated.’

‘Does he?’ cried Lily.  ’How exactly like Robert that is, to own himself in fault when he is obliged to blame others.  Jane, how could you hear him say such things and not be overcome with shame?  And then to turn it against him!  Oh, Jane, I do not think I can talk to you any more.’