And while Miss Headworth, over her evening toilette, was coming to this resolution in one bedroom, Nuttie, in another, was standing aghast at her mother's agitation, and receiving a confession which filled her with astonishment. 'I can't think why that gentleman should go and be so affectionate all on a sudden, 'quoth Nuttie;' if he is my cousin, and so fond of you, why couldn't he have come to see us before?' 'Oh, Nuttie, dear, you don't understand why it is so good of him! My dear, now this has come, I must tell you--you must hear--the sad thing your mother did. Yes, my dear, I was their governess--and--and I did not--In short, my dear, I eloped.' 'You, mother! Oh what fun!' cried the girl in the utter extremity of wonder. 'Nuttie!' exclaimed Mrs. Egremont, in a tone of horror and indignation--nay, of apprehension. 'O mother--I didn't mean that! But I can't get to believe it. You, little mother mine, you that are so timid and bashful and quiet. That you--you should have done such a thing.' 'Nuttie, my dear, can't you understand that such a thing would make me quiet? I am always feeling when I see people, or they bring their daughters here. "If they only knew--"' 'No, no, no! They would still see you were the sweetest dear. But tell me all about it. How very much in love you must have been!' said Nuttie, a magnificent vision of a young sailor with curly hair and open throat rising before her. 'I think I was more frightened than in love,' faintly said Mrs. Egremont. 'At least I didn't know it was love, I thought he was only kind to me.' 'But you liked it?' said Ursula magisterially. 'I liked it, oh, I liked it! It gave me a feeling such as nothing else ever did, but I never thought of its being love, he was so much older.' 'Older!' exclaimed Nuttie, much taken aback. 'Oh! as old as Mr. Dutton?' 'Mr. Dutton is thirty-six, I think. Yes, he was older than that.' 'Mother, how could you?' For to be older than Mr. Dutton seemed to the youthful fancy to be near decrepitude; but she added, 'I suppose he was very noble, and had done great things.'