Presently she said, “I do hope it wasn’t Molly Gibson!”

“You may hope as much as you like; but I’m pretty sure it was. However, we’d better say nothing about it to Mrs. Goodenough; she has got Cynthia into her head, and there let her rest. Time enough to set reports afloat about Molly when we know there’s some truth in them. Mr. Preston might do for Cynthia, who’s been brought up in France, though she has such pretty manners; but it may have made her not particular. He must not, and he shall not, have Molly, if I go into church and forbid the banns myself; but I’m afraid—I’m afraid, there’s something between her and him. We must keep on the look-out, Phœbe. I’ll be her guardian angel, in spite of herself.”