‘Aunt Jane, I ought to tell you something.’

Hastily revolving conjectures as to the subject of the coming confession, Miss Mohun put herself at her niece’s service.

’Aunt Jane, I know I ought to have told you how much I was seeing of the Whites last autumn.’

‘Indeed, I know you wished to do what you could for them.’

‘Yes,’ said Gillian, finding it easier than she expected.  ’You know Alexis wants very much to be prepared for Holy Orders, and he could not get on by himself, so I have been running down to Kalliope’s office after reading to Lily Giles, to look over his Greek exercises.’

‘Meeting him?’

’Only sometimes.  But Kally did not like it.  She said you ought to know, and that was the reason she would not come into the G.F.S.  She is so good and honourable, Aunt Jane.’

‘I am sure she is a very excellent girl,’ said Aunt Jane warmly.  ’But certainly it would have been better to have these lessons in our house.  Does your mother know?’

‘Yes,’ said Gillian, ’I wrote to her all I was doing, and how I have been talking to Kally on Sunday afternoons through the rails of Mr. White’s garden.  I thought she could telegraph if she did not approve, but she does not seem to have noticed it in my letters, only saying something I could not make out—­about “if you approved."’

‘And is that the reason you have told me?’

’Partly, but I got the letter before the holidays.  I think it has worked itself up, Aunt Jane, into a sense that it was not the thing.  There was Kally, and there was poor Valetta’s mess, and her justifying herself by saying I did more for the Whites than you knew, and altogether, I grew sorry I had begun it, for I was sure it was not acting honestly towards you, Aunt Jane, and I hope you will forgive me.’

Miss Mohun put her arm round the girl and kissed her heartily.

’My dear Gill, I am glad you have told me!  I dare say I seemed to worry you, and that you felt as if you were watched; I will do my very best to help you, if you have got into a scrape.  I only want to ask you not to do anything more till I can see Kally, and settle with her the most suitable way of helping the youth.’

But do you think there is a scrape, aunt?  I never thought of that, if you forgave me.’

’My dear, I see you did not; and that you told me because you are my Lily’s daughter, and have her honest heart.  I do not know that there is anything amiss, but I am afraid young ladies can’t do—–­well, impulsive things without a few vexations in consequence.  Don’t be so dismayed, I don’t know of anything, and I cannot tell you how glad I am of your having spoken out in this way.’

‘I feel as if a load were off my back!’ said Gillian.

And a bar between her and her aunt seemed to have vanished, as they drove up the now familiar slope, and under the leafless copper beeches.  Blood is thinker than water, and what five months ago had seemed to be exile, had become the first step towards home, if not home itself, for now, like Valetta, she welcomed the sound of her mother’s voice in her aunt’s.  And there were Valetta and Fergus rushing out, almost under the wheels to fly at her, and Aunt Ada’s soft embraces in the hall.