Mrs.Fyne remaining at the window saw the house door close on Miss de Barral returning from her last ride.
And meantime what had the governess (out of a nobleman's family) so judiciously selected (a lady, and connected with well-known county people as she said) to direct the studies, guard the health, form the mind, polish the manners, and generally play the perfect mother to that luckless child--what had she been doing?
Well, having got rid of her charge by the most natural device possible, which proved her practical sense, she started packing her belongings, an act which showed her clear view of the situation.

She had worked methodically, rapidly, and well, emptying the drawers, clearing the tables in her special apartment of that big house, with something silently passionate in her thoroughness; taking everything belonging to her and some things of less unquestionable ownership, a jewelled penholder, an ivory and gold paper knife (the house was full of common, costly objects), some chased silver boxes presented by de Barral and other trifles; but the photograph of Flora de Barral, with the loving inscription, which stood on her writing desk, of the most modern and expensive style, in a silver-gilt frame, she neglected to take.

Having accidentally, in the course of the operations, knocked it off on the floor she let it lie there after a downward glance.

Thus it, or the frame at least, became, I suppose, part of the assets in the de Barral bankruptcy.
At dinner that evening the child found her company dull and brusque.

It was uncommonly slow.