Her temper, however, was of that obtuse kind which is not easily ruffled; her mind, stagnant in itself, enjoyed excitement from without; and her appetite was invariably good, so she stayed, in spite of the inevitable _tete-a-tete_ with Alice.

The latter, however, refused to be drawn into conversation again; replying to Mrs.Brunton's speeches with a curt yes or no, when, indeed, she replied at all.
When all were gathered at tea, Sylvia was quite calm again; rather paler than usual, and very attentive and subduced in her behaviour to Alice; she would evidently fain have been silent, but as Molly was her own especial guest, that could not be, so all her endeavours went towards steering the conversation away from any awkward points.
But each of the four, let alone little Bella, was thankful when the market-cart drew up at the shop door, that was to take Mrs.Brunton back to her sister's house.
When she was fairly off, Alice Rose opened her mouth in strong condemnation; winding up with-- 'And if aught in my words gave thee cause for offence, Sylvia, it was because my heart rose within me at the kind of talk thee and she had been having about Philip; and her evil and light-minded counsel to thee about waiting seven years, and then wedding another.' Hard as these words may seem when repeated, there was something of a nearer approach to an apology in Mrs.Rose's manner than Sylvia had ever seen in it before.

She was silent for a few moments, then she said,-- 'I ha' often thought of telling yo' and Hester, special-like, when yo've been so kind to my little Bella, that Philip an' me could niver come together again; no, not if he came home this very night----' She would have gone on speaking, but Hester interrupted her with a low cry of dismay.
Alice said,-- 'Hush thee, Hester.

It's no business o' thine.

Sylvia Hepburn, thou'rt speaking like a silly child.' 'No.