"Yes. But she wants to know where he is."
"I can't tell you. I don't exactly know. I believe he's abroad, but
I'm not sure."
"But you've sent papa's letter to him?"
"I've sent it to a friend of his who will know better than I do where
he's to be found. You must know that he isn't free from creditors,
Molly. You can't have been one of the family, like a child of the
house almost, without knowing that much. For that and for other
reasons I don't exactly know where he is."
"I will tell her so. You are sure he will come?"
"Quite sure. But, Molly, I think my mother may live some time yet;
don't you? Dr. Nicholls said so yesterday when he was here with
your father. He said she had rallied more than he had ever expected.
You're not afraid of any change that makes you so anxious for
Osborne's coming?"
"No. It's only for her that I asked. She did seem so to crave for
news of him. I think she dreamed of him; and then when she wakened
it was a relief to her to talk about him to me. She always seemed to
associate me with him. We used to speak so much of him when we were
together."
"I don't know what we should any of us have done without you. You've
been like a daughter to my mother."
"I do so love her," said Molly, softly.
"Yes; I see. Have you ever noticed that she sometimes calls you
'Fanny?' It was the name of a little sister of ours who died. I think
she often takes you for her. It was partly that, and partly that at
such a time as this one can't stand on formalities, that made me call
you Molly. I hope you don't mind it?"
"No; I like it. But will you tell me something more about your
brother? She really hungers for news of him."
"She'd better ask me herself. Yet, no! I am so involved by promises
of secrecy, Molly, that I couldn't satisfy her if she once began to
question me. I believe he's in Belgium, and that he went there about
a fortnight ago, partly to avoid his creditors. You know my father
has refused to pay his debts?"
"Yes: at least, I knew something like it."
"I don't believe my father could raise the money all at once without
having recourse to steps which he would exceedingly recoil from. Yet
for the time it places Osborne in a very awkward position."
"I think what vexes your father a good deal is some mystery as to how
the money was spent."