Page:Gaskell - North and South, vol. II, 1855.djvu/278

 self to Mr. Bell, both including him in the conversation, and implying that he was perfectly aware of the endeavours that had been made to clear Frederick.

"That Horrocks—that very last witness of all, has proved as unavailing as all the others. Mr. Lennox has discovered that he sailed for Australia only last August; only two months before Frederick was in England, and gave us the names of"

"Frederick in England! you never told me that!" exclaimed Mr. Bell in surprise.

"I thought you knew. I never doubted you had been told. Of course, it was a great secret, and perhaps I should not have named it now," said Margaret, a little dismayed.

"I have never named it to either my brother or your cousin," said Mr. Lennox, with a little professional dryness of implied reproach.

"Never mind, Margaret. I am not living in a talking, babbling world, nor yet among people who are trying to worm facts out of me; you needn't look so frightened because you have let the cat out of the bag to a faithful old hermit like me. I shall never name his having been in England; I shall be out of temptation, for no one will ask me. Stay!" (interrupting himself rather abruptly) "was it at your mother's funeral?"

"He was with mamma when she died," said Margaret, softly.

"To be sure! To be sure! Why, some one asked me if he had not been over then, and I denied it stoutly—not many weeks ago—who could it have been? Oh! I recollect!"

But he did not say the name; and although