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"It is nothing," he said, waving them off. "Mrs. Verner is not well. Come with me, Sibylla." Waving them off still, he drew her into the study, closed the door, and bolted it. She clung to him like one in the extremity of terror, her throat heaving convulsively. "Oh, Lionel! is it true that he is come back? That he did not die? What will become of me?
By the time that the ship had run through the south-east trades, Sibylla could steer her, when on a wind, as well as the best helmsman on board; and, proud of her skill, she then began to long for the opportunity to try her hand with the ship when going free.
And Miss Deb acquiesced; and grew to contemplate the addition to her family, in conjunction with the addition Jan proposed to add to her income, with great satisfaction. That failed. Failed upon Jan's first hint of it to Mrs. Verner. She to use his own expression flew out at him, at the bare hint; and Sibylla Verner could fly out in an unseemly manner when she chose.
The hapless Jacobea, accused by Sibylla of witchcraft and other crimes possible and impossible, was thrown into prison. Two years long the devilish malignity of the sister-in-law was exercised upon her victim, who, as it is related, was not allowed natural sleep during all that period, being at every hour awakened by command of Sibylla. At last the Duchess was strangled in prison.
"Could you not have fastened it better than that, Jan?" asked Decima, smiling as she looked at the shirt. "I don't see how," replied Jan. "Pins were the readiest to hand." Sibylla had been keeping them waiting dinner. She came in now, radiant in smiles and in her gold combs. None, to look at her, would suppose she had that day lost a home. A servant appeared and announced dinner.
"She must make accommodation. When people used to come here to visit us, they brought their servants with them." "Oh, Sibylla! can you not see the difference? But what do you owe Benoite?" he added in a different tone. "I don't owe her anything," replied Sibylla eagerly, quite mistaking the motive of the question. "I have always paid her every month. She'd never let it go on."
But even here there was enough and more than enough to occupy their pleased attention for the moment, the long grass being thickly interspersed with flowering plants and shrubs, adorned with blossoms of most exquisite form, hue, and fragrance. Sibylla, woman-like, must needs at once proceed to gather a bouquet for herself, in which pleasing occupation the next half-hour was spent.
The latter name had been intended for Amélie; but by some mistake of the parents or of the clergyman, none of them French scholars, Amilly, the child was christened and registered. It remained a joke against Amilly to this day. "Sibylla!" exclaimed Deborah, somewhat in surprise, as she shook hands with Lionel, "I thought you had gone to Verner's Pride." "Nobody came for me.
West sought one more genial. Ranging his eyes over the room, they fell upon Lord Garle, who was still talking with Decima and Lucy. "Which of the two young ladies makes the viscount's attraction, Mr. Verner?" Lionel smiled. "They do not take me into their confidence, sir; any one of the three." "I am sure it is not Decima, papa," spoke up Sibylla. "She's as cold as a stone.
It was a sort of intermittent fever. At times he was very low with it, and then it was that he would drink the brandy. Only fancy what my position was!" she added, her face and voice alike full of pain. "He, not always himself; and I, out there in that wretched place, alone. I went down on my knees to him one day, and begged him to send me back to England." "Sibylla!"
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