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"I shall be very pleased to sing to you," said Janetta, and she sat down to the piano with a readiness which charmed Lady Ashley as much as the song she sang, although she sang it delightfully. "That is very nice very nice indeed," murmured Lady Ashley. Then she deliberated for a moment, and nodded her head once or twice.
They are angry with me, Janetta, and I can't bear it," cried Margaret, breaking suddenly into tears which were evidently very heartfelt, although they did not disfigure that fair and placid face of hers in the slightest degree; "they were never angry with me before, and it is terrible. They may take me away and keep me away for years, and I don't know what to do.
If she had not cried she would have had a nervous fever before long, and then what would become of you all?" During these dark days Janetta was inexpressibly touched by the marks of sympathy that reached her from all sides.
Nora was hurt, indignant, ashamed; but she shrank from her mother more than she pitied her. "What do you mean by 'under a ban?" Janetta asked, after a little silence. Nora colored hotly. "I mean," she said, looking down and fingering her dress nervously; "I mean that if any of us wanted to get married " Janetta laughed a little.
And it has come across me strangely, Janetta, of late, that of all the losses I have had, one of the greatest is the loss of my kinship with you. No doubt you have thought of that: John Wyvis, the ploughman's son, is not your cousin, Wyvis Brand." "I never remembered it," said Janetta. "Then I must remind you of it now. I cannot call you Cousin Janet any longer.
Colwyn's infirmity had remained a secret from him: he must have learned it from common town-talk long ago. Angry as Janetta was, and petrified with surprise, she could not but acknowledge in her heart that such a marriage was a very good one for Mrs. Colwyn, and would probably be of immense advantage to the children. And the old physician and his sister would probably be able to keep Mrs.
She is perfect there is not much to discuss in perfection." "She is most lovely most sweet," said Janetta, warmly. "And yet the very things you admire may stand in your way, Wyvis. She is very innocent of the world. And if you have won her her affection before you have told her your history " "You think this wretched first marriage of mine will stand in the way?" "I do.
"And you won't speak to anybody else about it, will you?" said Nora, rather relieved by this respite, and hoping to elude Janetta's vigilance still. "I shall promise nothing," Janetta answered. "I must think about it." She turned to leave the room, but was arrested by a burst of sobbing and a piteous appeal. "You are very unkind, Janetta. I thought that you would have sympathized."
But the exalted beauty had faded away by the time Janetta reached her home, and when she entered the house she was again the bright, sensible, energetic, and affectionate sister and daughter that they all knew and loved: no great beauty, no genius, no saint, but a generous-hearted English girl, who tried to do her duty and to love her neighbor as herself. Her father met her in the hall.
Nora's book fell from her knee. When she picked it up her cheeks were crimson and her eyes were flashing fire. "Don't be absurd, Georgie. It was not." "Indeed it was, Nora. I suppose he came to see Janetta, and Janetta has sent him away. Oh, how he's running, although he is a little lame! He has caught some one his brother, I believe it is; and now the brother's walking back with him."