She was drooping over her work--she always drooped now--and she left off sewing to listen to him,leaning her head on the arm which rested on the table.She did not speak when he had ended his statement.
She was silent for whole minutes afterwards;he went on speaking out of very agitation and awkwardness.
"It was all the rascal Dunster's doing,I've no doubt,"said he,trying to account for the entire loss of Mr.Wilkins's fortune.
To his surprise she lifted up her white stony face,and said slowly and faintly,but with almost solemn calmness:
"Mr.Ness,you must never allow Mr.Dunster to be blamed for this!""My dear Ellinor,there can be no doubt about it.Your father himself always referred to the losses he had sustained by Dunster's disappearance."Ellinor covered her face with her hands."God forgive us all,"she said,and relapsed into the old unbearable silence.Mr.Ness had undertaken to discuss her future plans with her,and he was obliged to go on.
"Now,my dear child--I have known you since you were quite a little girl,you know--we must try not to give way to feeling"--he himself was choking;she was quite quiet--"but think what is to be done.You will have the rent of this house,and we have a very good offer for it--a tenant on lease of seven years at a hundred and twenty pounds a year--""I will never let this house,"said she,standing up suddenly,and as if defying him.
"Not let Ford Bank!Why?I don't understand it--I can't have been clear--Ellinor,the rent of this house is all you will have to live on!""I can't help it,I can't leave this house.Oh,Mr.Ness,I can't leave this house.""My dear child,you shall not be hurried--I know how hardly all these things are coming upon you (and I wish I had never seen Corbet,with all my heart I do!)"--this was almost to himself,but she must have heard it,for she quivered all over--"but leave this house you must.
You must eat,and the rent of this house must pay for your food;you must dress,and there is nothing but the rent to clothe you.I will gladly have you to stay at the Parsonage as long as ever you like;but,in fact,the negotiations with Mr.Osbaldistone,the gentleman who offers to take the house,are nearly completed--""It is my house!"said Ellinor,fiercely."I know it is settled on me.""No,my dear.It is held in trust for you by Sir Frank Holster and Mr.Johnson;you to receive all moneys and benefits accruing from it"--he spoke gently,for he almost thought her head was turned--"but you remember you are not of age,and Mr.Johnson and I have full power."Ellinor sat down,helpless.
"Leave me,"she said,at length."You are very kind,but you don't know all.I cannot stand any more talking now,"she added,faintly.
Mr.Ness bent over her and kissed her forehead,and withdrew without another word.He went to Miss Monro.
"Well!and how did you find her?"was her first inquiry,after the usual greetings had passed between them."It is really quite sad to see how she gives way;I speak to her,and speak to her,and tell her how she is neglecting all her duties,and it does no good.""She has had to bear a still further sorrow to-day,"said Mr.Ness.
"On the part of Mr.Johnson and myself I have a very painful duty to perform to you as well as to her.Mr.Wilkins has died insolvent.Igrieve to say there is no hope of your ever receiving any of your annuity!"Miss Monro looked very blank.Many happy little visions faded away in those few moments;then she roused up and said,"I am but forty;Ihave a good fifteen years of work in me left yet,thank God.
Insolvent!Do you mean he has left no money?""Not a farthing.The creditors may be thankful if they are fully paid.""And Ellinor?""Ellinor will have the rent of this house,which is hers by right of her mother's settlement,to live on.""How much will that be?""One hundred and twenty pounds."
Miss Monro's lips went into a form prepared for whistling.Mr.Ness continued:
"She is at present unwilling enough to leave this house,poor girl.
It is but natural;but she has no power in the matter,even were there any other course open to her.I can only say how glad,how honoured,I shall feel by as long a visit as you and she can be prevailed upon to pay me at the Parsonage.""Where is Mr.Corbet?"said Miss Monro.
"I do not know.After breaking off his engagement he wrote me a long letter,explanatory,as he called it;exculpatory,as I termed it.Iwrote back,curtly enough,saying that I regretted the breaking-off of an intercourse which had always been very pleasant to me,but that he must be aware that,with my intimacy with the family at Ford Bank,it would be both awkward and unpleasant to all parties if he and Iremained on our previous footing.Who is that going past the window?
Ellinor riding?"
Miss Monro went to the window."Yes!I am thankful to see her on horseback again.It was only this morning I advised her to have a ride!""Poor Dixon!he will suffer too;his legacy can no more be paid than the others;and it is not many young ladies who will be as content to have so old-fashioned a groom riding after them as Ellinor seems to be."As soon as Mr.Ness had left,Miss Monro went to her desk and wrote a long letter to some friends she had at the cathedral town of East Chester,where she had spent some happy years of her former life.