"Yes, ma'am. And you are Mrs. Grey?" peering at her with some curiosity; for, as every body knew every thing in Avonsbridge, no doubt Miss Bennett was perfectly well aware that Dr. Grey's young wife was the _ci-devant_ governess at Mr. Ferguson's. "Will you walk up into my room? I wanted a word with you before lessons." "Certainly, Mrs. Grey. I hope you are quite satisfied with my instruction of Miss Grey. Indeed, my recommendations--as I told Miss Gascoigne--include some of the very first families--" "I have no doubt Miss Gascoigne was satisfied," interrupted Mrs. Grey, not quite liking the flippant manner, the showy style of dress, and the air, at once subservient and forward; in truth, something which, despite her prettiness, stamped the governess as underbred, exactly what Aunt Henrietta had said--"not a lady." "Your qualifications for teaching I have no wish to investigate; what I have to speak about is a totally different thing." Miss Bennett looked uneasy for a minute, but Christian's manner was so studiously polite, even kindly, that she seemed to think nothing could be seriously wrong. She sat down composedly on the crimson sofa, and began investigating, with admiring, curious, and rather envious eyes, the handsome room, half boudoir, half bed-chamber. "Oh, Mrs. Grey, what a nice room this is! How you must enjoy it! It's a hard life, teaching children." "It is a hard life, as I know, for I was once a governess myself." This admission, given so frankly, without the least hesitation, evidently quite surprised Miss Bennett. With still greater curiosity than the fine room, she regarded the fine lady who had once been a governess, and was not ashamed to own it. "Well, all I can say is, you have been very lucky in your marriage, Mrs. Grey; I only wish I might be the same." "That is exactly--" said Christian, catching at any thing in her nervous difficulty as to how she should open such an unpleasant subject--"no, not exactly, but partly, what I wished to speak to you about. Excuse a plain, almost rude question, which you can refuse to answer if you like; but, Miss Bennett, I should be very glad to know if you are engaged?" "Engaged by Miss Gascoigne?" "No; engaged to be married." Miss Bennett drew back, blushed a little, looked much annoyed, and answered sharply, apparently involuntarily, "No!" "Then--excuse me again--I would not ask if I did not feel it absolutely my duty, in order that we may come to a right understanding--but the gentleman you were walking with yesterday, when you asked Letitia to meet you in Walnut-tree Court, was he a brother, or cousin, or what?" Susan Bennett was altogether confounded. "How did you find it all out? Did the child tell?--the horrid little--but of course she did. And then you set on and watched me! That was a nice trick for one lady to play another."