said Miss Phoebe, seeing Molly's extreme discomfiture and annoyance.'It can be no great secret,' said Miss Browning, dropping the little-bird formula, and assuming an air of dignified reproval at Miss Phoebe's interruption, 'for Miss Hornblower says Mr Preston owns to being engaged -- ' 'At any rate it is not to Cynthia, that I know positively,' said Molly with some vehemence.'And pray put a stop to any such reports; you don't know what mischief they may do.I do so hate that kind of chatter!' It was not very respectful of Molly to speak in this way to be sure, but she thought only of Roger; and the distress any such reports might cause, should he ever hear of them (in the centre of Africa!) made her colour up scarlet with vexation.'Heighty-teighty! Miss Molly! don't you remember that I am old enough to be your mother, and that it is not pretty behaviour to speak so to us -to me! "Chatter" to be sure.Really, Molly -- ' 'I beg your pardon,' said Molly, only half-penitent.'I daresay you did not mean to speak so to sister,' said Miss Phoebe, trying to make peace.Molly did not answer all at once.She wanted to explain how much mischief might be done by such reports.'But don't you see,' she went on, still flushed by vexation, 'how bad it is to talk of such things in such a way? Supposing one of them cared for some one else, and that might happen, you know; Mr Preston, for instance, may be engaged to some one else?' 'Molly! I pity the woman! Indeed I do.I have a very poor opinion of Mr Preston,' said Miss Browning, in a warning tone of voice; for a new idea had come into her head.'Well, but the woman, or young lady, would not like to hear such reports about Mr Preston.' 'Perhaps not.But for all that, take my word for it, he's a great flirt, and young ladies had better not have much to do with him.' 'I daresay it was all accident their meeting in Heath Lane.' said Miss Phoebe.'I know nothing about it,' said Molly, 'and I daresay I have been impertinent, only please don't talk about it any more.I have my reasons for asking you.' She got up, for by the striking of the church clock she had just found out that it was later than she had thought, and she knew that her father would be at home by this time.She bent down and kissed Miss Browning's grave and passive face.'How you are growing, Molly!' said Miss Phoebe, anxious to cover over her sister's displeasure.'"As tall and as straight as a poplar-tree!" as the old song says.' 'Grow in grace, Molly, as well as in good looks!' said Miss Browning, watching her out of the room.As soon as she was fairly gone, Miss Browning got up and shut the door quite securely, and then sitting down near her sister, she said, in a low voice, 'Phoebe, it was Molly herself that was with Mr Preston in Heath Lane that day when Mrs Goodenough saw them together!' 'Gracious goodness me!' exclaimed Miss Phoebe, receiving it at once as gospel.'How do you know?' 'By putting two and two together.Did not you notice how red Molly went, and then pale, and how she said she knew for a fact that Mr Preston and Cynthia Kirkpatrick were not engaged?' 'Perhaps not engaged; but Mrs Goodenough saw them loitering together, all by their own two selves -- ' 'Mrs Goodenough only crossed Heath Lane at the Shire Oak, as she was riding in her phaeton,' said Miss Browning, sententiously.'We all know what a coward she is in a carriage, so that most likely she had only half her wits about her, and her eyes are none of the best when she is standing steady on the ground.Molly and Cynthia have got those new plaid shawls just alike, and they trim their bonnets alike, and Molly is grown as tall as Cynthia since Christmas.I was always afraid she'd be short and stumpy, but she's now as tall and slender as any one need be.I'll answer for it, Mrs Goodenough saw Molly, and took her for Cynthia.' When Miss Browning 'answered for it' Miss Phoebe gave up doubting.She sate some time in silence revolving her thoughts.Then she said, - 'It would not be such a very bad match after all, sister.' She spoke very meekly, awaiting her sister's sanction to her opinion.'Phoebe, it would be a bad match for Mary Preston's daughter.If I had known what I know now we'd never have had him to tea last September.' 'Why, what do you know?' asked Miss Phoebe.'Miss Hornblower told me many things; some that I don't think you ought to hear, Phoebe.He was engaged to a very pretty Miss Gregson, at Henwick, where he comes from; and her father made inquiries, and heard so much that was bad about him, that he made his daughter break off the match, and she's dead since!' 'How shocking!' said Miss Phoebe, duly impressed.'Besides, he plays at billiards and he bets at races, and some people do say he keeps race-horses.' 'But is not it strange that the earl keeps him on as his agent?' 'No! perhaps not.He's very clever about land, and very sharp in all law affairs; and my lord is not bound to take notice - if indeed he knows -of the manner in which Mr Preston talks when he has taken too much wine.' 'Taken too much wine.Oh, sisters is he a drunkard? and we have had him to tea!' 'I did not say he was a drunkard, Phoebe,' said Miss Browning, pettishly.
'A man may take too much wine occasionally, without being a drunkard.Don't let me hear you using such coarse words, Phoebe!' Miss Phoebe was silent for a time after this rebuke.'Presently she said, 'I do hope it was not Molly Gibson.' 'You may hope as much as you like, but I'm pretty sure it was.However, we'd better say nothing about it to Mrs Goodenough; she has got Cynthia into her head, and there let her rest.Time enough to set reports afloat about Molly when we know there's some truth in them.Mr Preston might do for Cynthia, who's been brought up France, though she has such pretty manners;but it may have made her not particular.He must not, and he shall not, have Molly, if I go into church and forbid the banns myself; but I'm afraid - I'm afraid there's something between her and him.We must keep on the lookout, Phoebe.I'll be her guardian angel, in spite of herself.'
