To Sidney her whole being turned
in this hour of distress; he was the friend who would help her with
counsel and teach her to be strong. But hereupon there revived in
her a trouble which for the moment she had forgotten, and it became
so acute that she was driven to speak to Michael in a way which had
till now seemed impossible. When she entered his room--it was the
morning after their grave conversation--Michael welcomed her with
a face of joy, which, however, she still felt to be somewhat stern
and searching in its look. When they had talked for a few moments,
Jane said:
'I may speak about this to Mr. Kirkwood, grandfather?'
'I hope you will, Jane. Strangers needn't know of it yet, but we can
speak freely to him.'
After many endeavours to find words that would veil her thought, she
constrained herself to ask:
'Does he think I can be all you wish?'
Michael looked at her with a smile.
'Sidney has no less faith in you than I have, be sure of that.'
'I've been thinking--that perhaps he distrusted me a little.'
'Why, my child?'
'I don't quite know. But there's been a little difference in him, I
think, since we came back.
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