"No, I am sure she will not when you tell her that. But come directly: I do assure you she has been seriously uneasy.--Did you find Sir Gilbert very savage, Rosalind?" "_Pas mal_, my dear." Another moment brought them to Mrs. Mowbray. "Thank Heaven!" was her first exclamation on seeing them; and the repetition of Fanny's emphatic "Where _have_ you been?" followed it. "Dearest mother!" said Helen, fondly embracing her, "do not chide us very severely, even if we have been wrong; for indeed we meant to be very, very right; and when we set out the expedition appeared to us anything but a pleasant one. We have been to Oakley." "I am too thankful at seeing you returned in safety, my dear girls, to be very angry at any thing. But do tell me, Helen, what could have induced you to volunteer a visit to the only people who have been unkind to us since your poor father's death?" "In the hope, mamma, of putting an end to an estrangement which I thought was very painful to you." "Dearest Helen! it was just like you! And have you succeeded, my love?" "No, mamma, I have not." Mrs. Mowbray coloured. "And pray, Helen, have they explained to you the cause of their extraordinary and most unfeeling conduct?" "Do not say _they_, dearest mother! Lady Harrington is greatly distressed at Sir Gilbert's conduct: so is the colonel, who is just come home. Whatever fault there may be, it is Sir Gilbert's alone." "Did he, then, explain himself to you?" Helen remained silent. "I must request, Helen," resumed her mother, "that you make no farther mystery about the Harringtons. I am willing to excuse the strange step you took this morning; but I shall be seriously displeased if you refuse to tell me what passed during your visit. Of what is it that Sir Gilbert accuses me?" "I pointed out to him, mamma, the injustice of being angry with you because papa made a will that he did not approve." "Well, Helen! and what did he say to that?" "Upon my word, mamma, I could not find a shadow of reason in any thing he said." "You evade my questions, Helen. I insist upon knowing what it is that Sir Gilbert lays to my charge.--Helen!--do you refuse to answer me?" "Oh no, mamma!--but you cannot think how painful it would be for me to repeat it!" "I cannot help it, Helen: you have brought this pain on yourself by your very unadvised visit of this morning. But since you have gone to the house of one who has declared himself my enemy, you must let me know exactly what it is he has chosen to accuse me of; unless you mean that I should imagine you wish to shield him from my resentment because you think him right." "Oh, my mother!" cried Helen; "what a word is that!" "Well, then, do not trifle with me any longer, but repeat at once all that you heard him say."