"Of course, such a pretty woman--I may say, such a charming woman--would have admirers, and I know that she has had some most excellent offers, but she has always refused to consider any of them.

There was one gentleman, a man of wealth and position, who had proposed to her before she married Mr.Chester, who came on here to offer himself again, but she cut off everything he had to say by telling him that as she did not positively know that her husband was not living, she could not allow a word of that sort to be said to her.
I know this, because she told me so herself." There was a good deal more talk of the sort, and of course it interested me greatly, although I tried not to show it, but I could not help wondering why the subject had been brought forward in such an impressive manner upon the present occasion.

It seemed to me that there was something personal in it--personal to me.

Had that boy Percy been making reports?
In the evening I found out all about it, and in a very straightforward and direct fashion.

I discovered Miss Edith by herself, and asked her if all that talk about Mrs.Chester had been intended for my benefit, and, if so, why.
She laughed.