The distrust
darkened and darkened on her face as she looked at her sister and Frank;
as she saw how close they sat together, devoted to the same interest
and working to the same end. The clock on the mantel-piece pointed
to half-past eleven before Lucy the resolute permitted Falkland the
helpless to shut up his task-book for the night. "She's wonderfully
clever, isn't she?" said Frank, taking leave of Mr. Vanstone at the hall
door. "I'm to come to-morrow, and hear more of her views--if you have
no objection. I shall never do it; don't tell her I said so. As fast as
she teaches me one speech, the other goes out of my head. Discouraging,
isn't it? Goodnight."
The next day but one was the day of the first full rehearsal. On the
previous evening Mrs. Vanstone's spirits had been sadly depressed. At
a private interview with Miss Garth she had referred again, of her
own accord, to the subject of her letter from London--had spoken
self-reproachfully of her weakness in admitting Captain Wragge's
impudent claim to a family connection with her--and had then reverted to
the state of her health and to the doubtful prospect that awaited her in
the coming summer in a tone of despondency which it was very distressing
to hear.
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