But now, I should have felt far more reluctant to let them come here in this way hadn't it been that they regard you as a friend.
To-morrow morning you will probably hear from one or both of them.
Perhaps it would have been better if I had left them to tell you all this, but I felt I should like to see you and--put it in my own way.

I think you'll understand this feeling, Miss Yule.

I wanted, in fact, to hear from yourself that you would be a friend to the poor girls.' 'Oh, you already know that! I shall be so very glad to see them often.' Marian's voice lent itself very naturally and sweetly to the expression of warm feeling.

Emphasis was not her habit; it only needed that she should put off her ordinary reserve, utter quietly the emotional thought which so seldom might declare itself, and her tones had an exquisite womanliness.
Jasper looked full into her face.
'In that case they won't miss the comfort of home so much.

Of course they will have to go into very modest lodgings indeed.