Esther sits down again, snubbed; and then the door opens, and the three middle-aged, quakerish maid-servants make their sober entry, each with bible and hymnal in her hand; and the long exposition, the eight-versed hymn, and extempore prayer set in. To Esther's ears, all the words of exposition, hymn, and prayer seem to be, "Will it do?--will it do?" "I have received a letter," begins Mrs. Brandon, slowly addressing Esther, when the "exercise" is ended, "from a valued Christian friend of mine, who has lately met with a lady and gentleman considerably advanced in life, who are on the look-out for a----" "Companion?" interrupted Esther, breathlessly. "For a young person who may supply the place of their failing sight, by reading to them, writing letters for them--may arrange the old lady's work, and make herself a generally useful, agreeable, and ladylike companion." "That does not sound hard, does it?" says Esther, with a nearer approach to hopefulness in her face than has been seen there since her brother's death. "Neither reading, writing, nor being ladylike are very difficult accomplishments, are they? Oh, Mrs. Brandon, I hope they'll take me, don't you? What is their name?" "Blessington!" "Blessington!" repeats Essie, her lips parting in some dismay. "I wonder are they--can they be--any relation to Miss Blessington, Sir Thomas Gerard's ward?" "I really cannot tell you, my dear. You have given us so very little information as to your visit to the Gerards, that I was not even aware that Blessington was the name of Sir Thomas's ward." Esther passes by the small reproach in silence. "Perhaps they may be her father and mother," suggests Bessy. "She has no father nor mother." "Her grandfather and grandmother?" "She has no grandfather nor grandmother." "Her great-uncle and great-aunt?" "Possibly." "Very likely the same family," remarks Mrs. Brandon, intending to say something rather agreeable than otherwise. "Blessington is not a common name." "I recollect," Esther says, contracting her forehead in the effort to recall all that was said upon a subject which at the time interested her too little to have made much impression--"I recollect her mentioning one day having some old relations in ----shire, whom it was a great bore to have to go and visit." "These people live in ----shire." "Then it must be the same," cries Essie, a look of acute chagrin passing over her features. "Oh, Mrs. Brandon, what a disappointment! I'm afraid we shall have to look out again! I'm afraid this won't do!" "And why not, pray?" inquires the other, staring in displeased astonishment from under her thick white eyebrows at her young _protégée_. Silence. "Did you," inquires the old lady, looking rather suspiciously at her, "have any quarrel or disagreement with the Gerards during your visit which could render you unwilling to meet any one in any way connected with their family?"