And Roger missed her too. Sometimes her remarks had probed into his
mind, and excited him to the deep thought in which he delighted; at
other times he had felt himself of real help to her in her hours of
need, and in making her take an interest in books, which treated of
higher things than the continual fiction and poetry which she had
hitherto read. He felt something like an affectionate tutor suddenly
deprived of his most promising pupil; he wondered how she would go
on without him; whether she would be puzzled and disheartened by the
books he had lent her to read; how she and her stepmother would get
along together? She occupied his thoughts a good deal those first
few days after she left the hall. Mrs. Hamley regretted her more,
and longer than did the other two. She had given her the place of
a daughter in her heart; and now she missed the sweet feminine
companionship, the playful caresses, the never-ceasing attentions;
the very need of sympathy in her sorrows, that Molly had shown so
openly from time to time; all these things had extremely endeared her
to the tender-hearted Mrs. Hamley.
Molly, too, felt the change of atmosphere keenly; and she blamed
herself for so feeling even more keenly still. But she could not
help having a sense of refinement, which had made her appreciate the
whole manner of being at the Hall. By her dear old friends the Miss
Brownings she was petted and caressed so much that she became ashamed
of noticing the coarser and louder tones in which they spoke, the
provincialism of their pronunciation, the absence of interest in
things, and their greediness of details about persons. They asked her
questions which she was puzzled enough to answer about her future
stepmother; her loyalty to her father forbidding her to reply fully
and truthfully. She was always glad when they began to make inquiries
as to every possible affair at the Hall. She had been so happy there;
she had liked them all, down to the very dogs, so thoroughly, that it
was easy work replying: she did not mind telling them everything,
even to the style of Mrs. Hamley's invalid dress; nor what wine the
squire drank at dinner. Indeed, talking about these things helped
her to recall the happiest time in her life. But one evening, as
they were all sitting together after tea in the little upstairs
drawing-room, looking into the High Street--Molly discoursing away on
the various pleasures of Hamley Hall, and just then telling of all
Roger's wisdom in natural science, and some of the curiosities he had
shown her, she was suddenly pulled up by this little speech,--