'Fanny,' said Mr. Dusautoy, 'I really think we ought to tell her.'

'Yes,' said Mrs. Dusautoy, 'I think it would be better. The houses
belonged to old Mr. Meadows.'

'Oh, if they are Mrs. Meadows's, I don't wonder at anything.'

'I believe they are Gilbert Kendal's.'

They were very kind; Mr. Dusautoy strode out at the window, and his
wife would not look at Albinia during the minute's struggle to regain
her composure, under the mortification that her husband should have
let her rave so much and so long about what must be in his own power.
Her only comfort was the hope that he had never heard what she said,
and she knew that he so extremely disliked a conference with
Pettilove, that he would consent to anything rather than have a
discussion.

She was, for the first time in her life, out of spirits. Gilbert was
always upon her mind; and the daily walk to meet him was a burthen,
consuming a great deal of time, and becoming trying on hot summer
afternoons, the more so as she seldom ventured to rest after it, lest
dulness should drive Gilbert into mischief, or, if nothing worse,
into quarrelling with Sophia. If she could not send him safely out
fishing, she must be at hand to invent pleasures and occupations for
him; and the worst of it was, that the girls grudged her attention to
their brother, and were becoming jealous. They hated the walk to
Robble's Leigh, and she knew that it was hard on them that their
pleasure should be sacrificed, but it was all-important to preserve
him from evil. She had wished to keep the tutor-negotiations a