Evidently Elizabeth read his thoughts.
"You must tell us everything," she said rather abruptly; "it will be wrong to keep anything back." And thus admonished, Malcolm began his long story--his summons to the Manor House, and Hugh Rossiter's revelation concerning the Jacobi family.

The sisters listened in breathless silence, only when Malcolm mentioned the words billiard-marker and valet Elizabeth uttered a quick exclamation, and threw up her head with a proud gesture, while poor Dinah grew white when she heard that her boy was actually engaged.

"It is impossible--there must be some mistake," she whispered, as though to herself--"our dear boy would never keep such a thing from his sisters.
Cedric is so frank and open, he would never have secrets from us." "Cedric is under a bad influence," replied Malcolm; "these people have got hold of him and will not let him go." And then he went on to tell of his interview with Cedric, and his total want of success.

"I could do nothing," he went on despondently; "I seem to have lost my influence with him.

I did my best, Miss Templeton," with an appealing look at Dinah's sad, sweet face; but it was Elizabeth who answered him.
"Do you think we do not know that," she returned impulsively--"that Dinah and I are not grateful to you! You have taken all this trouble for us--you have been to Cookham and Oxford, and now you have come here, and you are quite tired and worn out with the worry of it all, and we can do nothing for you in return!" and Elizabeth quivered with emotion.