“Oh! do not imagine that I expect an account of Miss Fairfax’s sensations from you, or from anybody else. They are known to no human being, I guess, but herself. But if she continued to play whenever she was asked by Mr. Dixon, one may guess what one chooses.”

“There appeared such a perfectly good understanding among them all⁠—” he began rather quickly, but checking himself, added, “however, it is impossible for me to say on what terms they really were⁠—how it might all be behind the scenes. I can only say that there was smoothness outwardly. But you, who have known Miss Fairfax from a child, must be a better judge of her character, and of how she is likely to conduct herself in critical situations, than I can be.”