"I have long believed that the man that Rose recognised was Mauleverer,
but I thought the uncertainty would be bad for Ermine. What is all
this?"
"You will hear. There! Listen, I can't tell you; Lady Temple did it
all," said Alison, trying to draw away her arm from him, and to assume
the staid governess. But he felt her trembling, and did not release her
from his support as they fanned back to the astonished group, to which,
while these few words were passing, Francis, the little bareheaded
white-aproned Mary Morris, and lastly Lady Temple, had by this time been
added; and Fanny, with quick but courteous acknowledgment of all, was
singling out her cousin.
"Oh, Rachel, dear, I did not mean it to have been so sudden or before
them all, but indeed I could not help it," she said in her gentle,
imploring voice, "if you only saw that poor dear child's neck."
Rachel had little choice what she should say or do. What Fanny
was saying tenderly and privately, the two boys were communicating
open-mouthed, and Mrs. Curtis came at once with her nervous, "What is
it, my dear; is it something very sad? Those poor children look very
cold, and half starved."
"Indeed," said Fanny, "they have been starved, and beaten, and cruelly
used. I am very sorry, Rachel, but indeed that was a dreadful woman,
and I thought Colonel Keith and Mr. Grey would tell us what ought to be
done."
"Mr. Grey!" and Mrs. Curtis turned round eagerly, with the comfort of
having some one to support her, "will you tell us what is to be done?
Here has poor dear Rachel been taken in by this wicked scheme, and these
poor--"
"Mother, mother," muttered Rachel, lashed up to desperation; "please not
out here, before the servants and every one."
This appeal and Grace's opening of the door had the effect of directing
every one into the hall, Mr. Grey asking Mrs. Curtis by the way, "Eh?
Then this is Rachel's new female asylum, is it?"
"Yes, I always feared there was something odd about it. I never liked
that man, and now--Fanny, my love, what is the matter?"
In a few simple words Fanny answered that she had contrived to be left
alone with the children, and had then found signs of such shocking
ill-treatment of them, that she had thought it right to bring them away
at once.
"And you will commit those wretches. You will send them to prison at
once, Mr. Grey. They have been deceiving my poor Rachel ever so long,
and getting sums upon sums of money out of her," said Mrs. Curtis,
becoming quite blood-thirsty.
"If there is sufficient occasion I will summon the persons concerned to
the Bench on Wednesday," said Mr. Grey, a practical, active squire.