- putting each inquiry with as light and delicate a touch as if she had been dressing a wound.She hesitated a little, a very little, before speaking of Roger; for just one moment the thought flitted across her mind that Osborne might feel the contrast between his own and his brother's college career too painfully to like to have it referred to; but then she remembered the generous brotherly love that had always existed between the two, and had just entered upon the subject, when Cynthia, in obedience to her mother's summons, came into the room, and took up her work.No one could have been quieter - she hardly uttered a word; but Osborne seemed to fall under her power at once.He no longer gave his undivided attention to Molly.He cut short his answers to her questions; and by-and-by, without Molly's rightly understanding how it was, he had turned towards Cynthia, and was addressing himself to her.Molly saw the look of content on Mrs Gibson's face; perhaps it was her own mortification at not having heard all she wished to know about Roger, that gave her a keener insight than usual, but certain it is that all at once she perceived that Mrs Gibson would not dislike a marriage between Osborne and Cynthia, and considered the present occasion as an auspicious beginning.Remembering the secret which she had been let into so unwillingly, Molly watched his behaviour, almost as if she had been retained in the interests of the absent wife; but, after all, thinking as much of the possibility of his attracting Cynthia as of the unknown and mysterious Mrs Osborne Hamley.His manner was expressive of great interest and of strong prepossession in favour of the beautiful girl to whom he was talking.He was in deep mourning, which showed off his slight figure and delicate refined face.But there was nothing of flirting, as far as Molly understood the meaning of the word, in either looks or words.Cynthia, too, was extremely quiet; she was always much quieter with men than with women; it was part of the charm of her soft allurement that she was so passive.They were talking of France.Mrs Gibson herself had passed two or three years of her girlhood there; and Cynthia's late return from Boulogne made it a very natural subject of conversation.But Molly was thrown out of it; and with her heart still unsatisfied as to the details of Roger's success, she had to stand up at last, and receive Osborne's good-by, scarcely longer or more intimate than his farewell to Cynthia.As soon as he was gone Mrs Gibson began in his praise.'Well, really, I begin to have some faith in long descent.What a gentleman he is! How agreeable and polite! So different from that forward Mr Preston,'
第109章 MRS GIBSONS VISITORS (4)（1 / 3）