"My child!" whispered Mrs Brandon, hurrying to her side, and once more passing a protecting arm around her. Ella turned her sad gentle face towards Mrs Brandon with a smile. "Let me go to my own room now," she said. "You are very good. I am very sorry; but I could not help all this." Mrs Brandon kissed her tenderly, and watched her as she passed through the door, returning herself to sit thoughtfully gazing at the floor, till, taking pen, ink, and paper, she wrote three hurried notes, and addressed them to various friends residing in the neighbourhood of Blandfield Court. One will serve as an example of the character of the others. It was addressed to an old intimate and schoolfellow--Mrs Lingon; and ran as follows: "My dear Mrs Lingon,--Will you kindly, and in strict confidence, give me _your_ opinion respecting the character and pursuits of a neighbour--Mr Charles Vining. I have a particular reason for wishing to know. With kind love, I am yours sincerely, Emily Brandon." The answers came by the mid-day post on the second afternoon, when, Ella being pale and unwell, one of the upper servants had been sent with the children for their afternoon walk. Mrs Brandon was evidently expecting news; for, after sitting talking to Ella in a quiet affectionate way for some time, she rang the bell, and the hard footman appeared. "Has not Thomas returned from Laneton with the letter-bag?" "Just coming up the lane as you rang, ma'am," said the man, who then hurried out, to return with several letters, three of which Mrs Brandon read with the greatest interest and a slight flush of colour in her cheeks, when, with a gratified sigh, she placed them in a desk, and closing her eyes, leaned back quiet and thoughtful, till her musing was interrupted by the reappearance of the footman, with salver and card. "Gentleman wishes to see Miss Bedford," said the man, handing the card. "Not the same gentleman?" exclaimed Mrs Brandon excitedly, and as if annoyed at what she looked upon as a breach of faith. "No, 'm; 'nother gentleman--a little one," said the hard footman. "That will do," said Mrs Brandon quietly; and the man left the room, as, with the colour mounting to her cheeks, Ella handed the card just taken. "Mr Maximilian Bray," said Mrs Brandon, glancing at the delicate slip of pasteboard, enamelled and scented. "That is _the_ Mr Bray you named?" Ella bowed her head, and then, as if transformed into another, she said hastily, "Mrs Brandon, I think you give me credit for trying to avoid this unpleasantly; you know I cannot help these calls. It will be better," she said huskily, "that I leave here, and at once." "Give you credit? Of course, child!" said Mrs Brandon quietly. "Sit down, you foolish girl. So, this is the dandy--the exquisite! I think we can arrange for his visiting here no more. That is," she said playfully, "unless _you_ wish to see him."