It was chiefly Mrs. Peckover told me. She did say,
Clara--but then I can't tell whether it's true or not--she did say
something about Sidney and her.'
He spoke with difficulty, feeling constrained to make the
disclosure, but anxious as to its result. Clara made no movement,
seemed to have heard with indifference.
'It's maybe partly 'cause of that,' added John, in a low voice,
'that he doesn't like to come here.'
'Yes; I understand.'
They spoke no more on the subject.
CHAPTER XXXI
WOMAN AND ACTRESS
In a tenement on the same staircase, two floors below, lived a
family with whom John Hewett was on friendly terms. Necessity
calling these people out of London for a few days, they had left
with John the key of their front door; a letter of some moment might
arrive in their absence, and John undertook to re-post it to them.
The key was hung on a nail in Clara's room.
'I'll just go down and see if the postman's left anything at
Holland's this morning,' said Amy Hewett, coming in between
breakfast and the time of starting for school.
She reached up to the key, but Clara, who sat by the fire with a cup
of tea on her lap, the only breakfast she ever took, surprised her
by saying, 'You needn't trouble, Amy.
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