"Tell me everything, child, and let your friend help you if he can."
Formerly he said "father" or "the old man," but lately he always spoke
of himself as her "friend."
"I will tell you, for I have no one else to turn to. I must go away
because Mr. Coventry has been weak enough to love me."
"What, Gerald?" cried Sir John, amazed.
"Yes; today he told me this, and left me to break with Lucia; so I ran
to you to help me prevent him from disappointing his mother's hopes
and plans."
Sir John had started up and paced down the room, but as Jean paused he
turned toward her, saying, with an altered face, "Then you do not love
him? Is it possible?"
"No, I do not love him," she answered promptly.
"Yet he is all that women usually find attractive. How is it that you
have escaped, Jean?"
"I love someone else" was the scarcely audible reply.
Sir John resumed his seat with the air of a man bent on getting at a
mystery, if possible.
"It will be unjust to let you suffer for the folly of these boys, my
little girl. Ned is gone, and I was sure that Gerald was safe; but now
that his turn has come, I am perplexed, for he cannot be sent away."
"No, it is I who must go; but it seems so hard to leave this safe and
happy home, and wander away into the wide, cold world again. You have
all been too kind to me, and now separation breaks my heart."
A sob ended the speech, and Jean's head went down upon her hands again.
Sir John looked at her a moment, and his fine old face was full of
genuine emotion, as he said slowly, "Jean, will you stay and be a
daughter to the solitary old man?"
"No, sir" was the unexpected answer.
"And why not?" asked Sir John, looking surprised, but rather pleased
than angry.
"Because I could not be a daughter to you; and even if I could, it would
not be wise, for the gossips would say you were not old enough to be the
adopted father of a girl like me. Sir John, young as I am, I know much
of the world, and am sure that this kind plan is impractical; but I
thank you from the bottom of my heart."
"Where will you go, Jean?" asked Sir John, after a pause.
"To London, and try to find another situation where I can do no harm."
"Will it be difficult to find another home?"
"Yes. I cannot ask Mrs. Coventry to recommend me, when I have innocently
brought so much trouble into her family; and Lady Sydney is gone, so I
have no friend."