“Come in here,” said Audrey, mechanically, in a low voice, as she led the girls into the deserted showroom. CHAPTER XXIV “You know, Madame, we consider that you’ve treated us very badly,” began Pamela, as soon as they were inside the room. “Have I, dear? How?” asked Audrey, trying to smile, and meanwhile wondering who were in the rooms at the back, the shut-up rooms which Mademoiselle Laure kept to herself. Was Mr. Candover there? And Laure? And was it safe to converse within these walls at all? She looked into the inner showroom, and, finding nobody there, drew open the curtains, and placed herself in such a position that she could see, by the big mirrors against the wall, any one who might enter from the back part of the premises. Then she beckoned the girls to come close to her, and sitting down on a big Chesterfield settee, she placed herself between them and took a hand of each. “On second thoughts,” said Pamela, “I think I won’t scold you after all, as I meant to do, because you look worried. Aren’t you happy, dear? What’s the matter? Is it anything you can tell us?” And Babs, from the other side, echoed the question, as they hung round her, and looked with their innocent young eyes into her harassed face. “Well, yes, dears, I am a good deal worried just now. But--no, it’s nothing I can tell you about,” said she. “Now for my crimes. Pamela, what have I done to displease you?” “Well, you know you promised to see----” “Hush. Speak lower.” “You promised to see the woman who said she was our mother, and to write to us afterwards.” “Yes. And I did see her.” “But you didn’t write to us afterwards!” There was a pause. Audrey felt the tears coming into her eyes. “Why didn’t you?” “I--I was very busy. You know I--I left ‘The Briars,’ and--then I met my husband again unexpectedly--I suppose you haven’t heard of that?” The girls clung to her, all excitement and interest. “Oh, how beautiful for you! Tell us about it! Is he----” They did not like to finish the question, but Audrey, holding their fingers tightly in hers, said:-- “Yes, yes, he’s not many yards away from us at this moment.” “Oh, how glad you must be!” They kissed her, congratulating her, rejoicing with her, till poor Audrey, knowing the awful burden of a secret concerning their own father which she had to bear and to keep from them if she could, could scarcely refrain from a burst of tears. “But you don’t look as happy as you ought!” “He’s been ill--he’s not strong yet.” “Never mind. He’ll be all right soon, now he’s got _you_! Will you tell us all about it, or would you rather not just yet?” “Hush, Pamela, don’t chatter so much. You’re making her cry,” said Babs. “Am I? Oh, dear, I didn’t mean to do that.” Audrey, who did not know which was the more painful of the two, listening to their pretty congratulations on her happiness, or to their questions about their unknown mother, tried to control her emotion, and said:--