'Everybody is talking about you; it is no wonder they are.Lord Cumnor is sure to hear about everything always.You should take more care about what you do, Cynthia, if you don't like being talked about.'
'It rather depends upon what people say,' said Cynthia, affecting a lightness which she did not feel; for she had a provision of what was coming.
'Well! I don't like it, at any rate.It is not pleasant to me to hear first of my daughter's misdoings from Lady Cumnor, and then to be lectured about her, and her flirting, and her jilting, as if I had had anything to do with it.I can assure you it has quite spoilt my visit.No! don't touch my shawl.When I go to my room I can take it myself.'
Cynthia was brought to bay, and sate down; remaining with her mother, who kept sighing ostentatiously from time to time.
'Would you mind telling me what they said? If there are accusations abroad against me, it is as well I should know what they are.Here's Molly'
(as the girl entered the room, fresh from a morning's walk).'Molly, mamma has come back from the Towers, and my lord and my lady have been doing me the honour to talk over my crimes and misdemeanors, and I am asking mamma what they have said.I don't set up for more virtue than other people, but I can't make out what an earl and a countess have to do with poor little me.'
'It was not for your sake!' said Mrs Gibson.'It was for mine.They felt for me, for it is not pleasant to have one's child's name in everybody's mouth.'
'As I said before, that depends upon how it is in everybody's mouth.
If I were going to marry Lord Hollingford, I make no doubt every one would be talking about me, and neither you nor I should mind it in the least.'
'But this is no marriage with Lord Hollingford, so it is nonsense to talk as if it was.They say you've gone and engaged yourself to Mr Preston, and now refuse to marry him; and they call that jilting.'
'Do you wish me to marry him, mamma?' asked Cynthia, her face in a flame, her eyes cast down.Molly stood by, very hot, not fully understanding it;and only kept where she was by the hope of coming in as sweetener or peacemaker, or helper of some kind.
'No,' said Mrs Gibson, evidently discomfited by the question.'Of course I don't; you have gone and entangled yourself with Roger Hamley, a very worthy young man; but nobody knows where he is, and if he's dead or alive;and he has not a penny if he is alive.'
'I beg your pardon.I know that he has some fortune from his mother;it may not be much, but he is not penniless; and he is sure to earn fame and great reputation, and with it money will come,' said Cynthia.
'You've entangled yourself with him, and you've done something of the sort with Mr Preston, and got yourself into such an imbroglio' (Mrs Gibson could not have said 'mess' for the world, although the word was present to her mind), 'that when a really eligible person comes forward - handsome, agreeable, and quite the gentleman - and a good private fortune into the bargain, you have to refuse him.You'll end as an old maid, Cynthia, and it will break my heart.'
'I daresay I shall,' said Cynthia, quietly.'I sometimes think I am the kind of person of which old maids are made!' She spoke seriously, and a little sadly.
Mrs Gibson began again.'I don't want to know your secrets as long as they are secrets; but when all the town is talking about you, I think Iought to be told.'
'But, mamma, I did not know I was such a subject of conversation; and even now I can't make out how it has come about.'
'No more can I.I only know that they say you've been engaged to Mr Preston, and ought to have married him, and that I can't help it, if you did not choose, any more than I could have helped your refusing Mr Henderson;and yet I am constantly blamed for your misconduct.I think it's very hard.'
Mrs Gibson began to cry.Just then her husband came in.
'You here, my dear! Welcome back,' said he, coming up to her courteously, and kissing her cheek.'Why, what's the matter? Tears?' and he heartily wished himself away again.
'Yes!' said she, raising herself up, and clutching after sympathy of any kind, at any price.'I'm come home again, and I'm telling Cynthia how Lady Cumnor has been so cross to me, and all through her.Did you know she had gone and engaged herself to Mr Preston, and then broken it off?
Everybody is talking about it, and they know it up at the Towers.'
For one moment his eyes met Molly's, and he comprehended it all.He made his lips up into a whistle, but no sound came.Cynthia had quite lost her defiant manner since her mother had spoken to Mr Gibson.Molly sate down by her.
'Cynthia,' said he, very seriously.
'Yes!' she answered, softly.