"
"It is very easily explained," said Miss Courtenay, after a moment's
battle with veracity. "My aunt is very ill in Vancouver." To herself
she was saying: "I must keep her from really seeing Harry. She knows
what he has done--in heaven's name, how could she have found it out?--
and she is waiting to catch us if she can. She has followed us! Thank
goodness, I've seen her first."
Eleanor was not blessed with the possibility of such an explanation
for Anne's presence; she could only believe that the governess had
been suddenly called to the bedside of her aunt--a real person, she
happened to know, and very rich. But how was she to account for her
own astonishing departure from home? Miss Courtenay had seen her at
dinner; nothing had been said regarding "an unexpected journey." In
truth, Eleanor remembered with inflexible accuracy that she had
announced her intention to go to bed with a headache. Then, what must
Miss Courtenay be thinking at this very instant?
An inspiration came to her like a flash. "I--I am running away, Miss
Courtenay," she cried, with a brave attempt to appear naive.
"I don't understand," murmured poor Anne.
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