'If you please, Miss, Mrs Tipper was afraid you was out in all this storm, and'---- She stopped; looked at me for a moment with dilating eyes, and then her tears began to flow. 'O Miss Haddon, dear, are you ill? What's the matter?'
'You must not cry, and you must not speak so loud, Becky.'
She saw that I waited until she had ceased, and hastily rubbed the tears out of her eyes.
Then in a low quiet voice, I said: 'A great trial has to be gone through, Becky. It _must_ be borne, and I think you can help me to bear it.'
'I knowed it was coming--I knowed it!' said Becky, under her breath.
She appeared for a moment to be searching in her mind for the best way of telling me, and at the same time expressing her sympathy; then with lowered eyes replied: 'I loved Tom--I always shall love him--and he can't love me.'
She knew then! Probably every one but myself had seen it!
'In that case, you know that such things are not to be talked about, Becky.'
'I know that it was your regard for me which made you mention it. But we need all our strength just now--you as well as I--and we must not think or speak of anything that will weaken it. I want your help, and to help me you must be cool and quiet and strong. Will you try to be that?'
'Yes; I will--I will indeed, dear Miss Haddon;' eagerly adding: 'What can I do?'
I stood pressing my two hands upon my temples in anxious thought a few moments, then asked: 'Do I look unlike my usual self, Becky--ill? Tell me exactly how I look to you?' thinking of the effect which the first sight of me had had upon her!
'Yes; you look terrible white, and wild, and trembling; and there's great black rims round your eyes,' gravely and straightforwardly replied Becky.
'As though I had been frightened by the storm. There has been a storm; hasn't there?'
'Yes; there's been a terrible storm, Miss; but'----
'You're not the sort to look like that about a storm.'
If that was Becky's opinion, the storm would not do for Lilian and Mrs Tipper, and the alteration in my appearance must be accounted for in some other way. I was seeking about in my mind for a way out of the difficulty, when Becky unconsciously helped me with the exclamation:
'O Miss Haddon, dear, what have you done to your hand?'