"Oh be quiet, Alice! you only provoke me," returned Emily. "Are you young ladies ready?" asked Everard. "Oh, Miss Leicester is not going to sing," cried Rose, saucily. "What will you do now?" "What do you mean?" he asked, looking inquiringly from one to another. "Why," said Emily, "Dr. Heathfield has forbidden anything of the kind, and was quite peppery about it." "Confound Dr. Heathfield!" he exclaimed angrily. "Is this true?" he asked, turning to Isabel. "Yes." "It is all nonsense! I shall speak to Heathfield about it." "That will do no good, Everard," interposed Emily; "He told mamma that Isabel ought not to think of doing so at present." "You did not think it would hurt you Miss Leicester," he asked. "Never for a moment." "I dare say he thinks you are going to join the choir altogether, I shall tell him that it is only the anthem to-morrow, that you intend taking part in, surely he cannot object to that." What passed between them did not transpire, but when Everard returned he said to Isabel in a tone of deep earnestness, "I should not have asked you to sing, had I known the harm it might possibly do you, indeed I would not, and though annoyed beyond measure at having to give up the anthem, I am very glad that Dr. Heathfield's opportune visit prevented you running such a risk, for had any serious consequences ensued, I alone should have been to blame." "No one would have been to blame, all being unaware of any danger," returned Isabel warmly, "but I am convinced that Dr. Heathfield is considering possibilities, though not probabilities" she added coloring, not well satisfied to be thought so badly of." "Tell us what he said, Everard," petitioned Emily. "He spoke very strongly and warned me not to urge her," Everard replied evidently unwilling to say more. "I don't believe that it could harm me," said Isabel thoughtfully, "but of course--." "You are jolly glad to get off," chimed in Rose saucily, and received a reproof from Everard. "We cannot disregard what he says," continued Isabel finishing the sentence. "Certainly not," returned Everard, and so the anthem was omitted. CHAPTER XVII.