At this conjecture Mrs. Gaunt's face burned; but she said nothing: only she cut the interview short, and dismissed Betty with her bundle. As Betty crossed the landing, Mrs. Gaunt's new lady's-maid, Caroline Ryder, stepped accidentally, on purpose, out of an adjoining room, in which she had been lurking, and lifted her black brows in affected surprise. "What, are you going to strip the house, my woman?" said she, quietly. Betty put down the bundle, and set her arms akimbo. "There is none on't stolen, any way," said she. Caroline's black eyes flashed fire at this, and her cheek lost colour; but she parried the innuendo skilfully. "Taking my perquisites on the sly, that is not so very far from stealing." "Oh, there's plenty left for you, my fine lady. Besides, you don't want her; you can set your cap at the master, they say. I'm too old for that, and too honest into the bargain." "Too ill-favoured, you mean, ye old harridan," said Ryder, contemptuously. But, for reasons hereafter to be dealt with. Betty's thrust went home: and the pair were mortal enemies from that hour. Mrs. Gaunt came down from her room discomposed: from that she became restless and irritable; so much so, indeed, that, at last, Sir. Gaunt told her, good-humouredly enough, if going to church made her ill (meaning peevish), she had better go to chapel. "You are right," said she, "and so I will." The next Sunday she was at her post in good time. The preacher cast an anxious glance around to see if she was there. Her quick eye saw that glance, and it gave her a demure pleasure. This day he was more eloquent than ever: and he delivered a beautiful passage concerning those who do good in secret. In uttering these eloquent sentences, his cheek glowed, and he could not deny himself the pleasure of looking down at the lovely face that was turned up to him. Probably his look was more expressive than he intended: the celestial eyes sank under it, and were abashed, and the fair cheek burned: and then so did Leonard's at that. Thus, subtly yet effectually, did these two minds communicate in a crowd, that never noticed nor suspected the delicate interchange of sentiment that was going on under their very eyes. In a general way compliments did not seduce Mrs. Gaunt: she was well used to them, for one thing. Put to be praised in that sacred edifice, 'and from the pulpit, and by such an orator as Leonard, and to be praised in words so sacred and beautiful, that the ears around her drank them with delight, all this made her heart beat, and filled her with soft and sweet complacency. And then to be thanked in public, yet, as it were, clandestinely, this gratified the furtive tendency of women.