saidMissPhoebe，seeingMolly’sextremediscomfitureandannoyance。’Itcanbenogreatsecret，’saidMissBrowning，droppingthelittle—birdformula，andassuminganairofdignifiedreprovalatMissPhoebe’sinterruption，’forMissHornblowersaysMrPrestonownstobeingengaged——’’AtanyrateitisnottoCynthia，thatIknowpositively，’saidMollywithsomevehemence。’Andprayputastoptoanysuchreports；youdon’tknowwhatmischieftheymaydo。Idosohatethatkindofchatter！’ItwasnotveryrespectfulofMollytospeakinthiswaytobesure，butshethoughtonlyofRoger；andthedistressanysuchreportsmightcause，shouldheeverhearofthem（inthecentreofAfrica！）madehercolourupscarletwithvexation。’Heighty—teighty！MissMolly！don’tyourememberthatIamoldenoughtobeyourmother，andthatitisnotprettybehaviourtospeaksotous—
tome！\"Chatter\"tobesure。Really，Molly——’’Ibegyourpardon，’saidMolly，onlyhalf—penitent。’Idaresayyoudidnotmeantospeaksotosister，’saidMissPhoebe，tryingtomakepeace。Mollydidnotanswerallatonce。Shewantedtoexplainhowmuchmischiefmightbedonebysuchreports。’Butdon’tyousee，’shewenton，stillflushedbyvexation，’howbaditistotalkofsuchthingsinsuchaway？Supposingoneofthemcaredforsomeoneelse，andthatmighthappen，youknow；MrPreston，forinstance，maybeengagedtosomeoneelse？’’Molly！Ipitythewoman！IndeedIdo。IhaveaverypooropinionofMrPreston，’saidMissBrowning，inawarningtoneofvoice；foranewideahadcomeintoherhead。’Well，butthewoman，oryounglady，wouldnotliketohearsuchreportsaboutMrPreston。’’Perhapsnot。Butforallthat，takemywordforit，he’sagreatflirt，andyoungladieshadbetternothavemuchtodowithhim。’’IdaresayitwasallaccidenttheirmeetinginHeathLane。’saidMissPhoebe。’Iknownothingaboutit，’saidMolly，’andIdaresayIhavebeenimpertinent，onlypleasedon’ttalkaboutitanymore。Ihavemyreasonsforaskingyou。’Shegotup，forbythestrikingofthechurchclockshehadjustfoundoutthatitwaslaterthanshehadthought，andsheknewthatherfatherwouldbeathomebythistime。ShebentdownandkissedMissBrowning’sgraveandpassiveface。’Howyouaregrowing，Molly！’saidMissPhoebe，anxioustocoveroverhersister’sdispleasure。’\"Astallandasstraightasapoplar—tree！\"astheoldsongsays。’’Growingrace，Molly，aswellasingoodlooks！’saidMissBrowning，watchingheroutoftheroom。Assoonasshewasfairlygone，MissBrowninggotupandshutthedoorquitesecurely，andthensittingdownnearhersister，shesaid，inalowvoice，’Phoebe，itwasMollyherselfthatwaswithMrPrestoninHeathLanethatdaywhenMrsGoodenoughsawthemtogether！’’Graciousgoodnessme！’exclaimedMissPhoebe，receivingitatonceasgospel。’Howdoyouknow？’’Byputtingtwoandtwotogether。DidnotyounoticehowredMollywent，andthenpale，andhowshesaidsheknewforafactthatMrPrestonandCynthiaKirkpatrickwerenotengaged？’’Perhapsnotengaged；butMrsGoodenoughsawthemloiteringtogether，allbytheirowntwoselves——’’MrsGoodenoughonlycrossedHeathLaneattheShireOak，asshewasridinginherphaeton，’saidMissBrowning，sententiously。’Weallknowwhatacowardsheisinacarriage，sothatmostlikelyshehadonlyhalfherwitsabouther，andhereyesarenoneofthebestwhensheisstandingsteadyontheground。MollyandCynthiahavegotthosenewplaidshawlsjustalike，andtheytrimtheirbonnetsalike，andMollyisgrownastallasCynthiasinceChristmas。Iwasalwaysafraidshe’dbeshortandstumpy，butshe’snowastallandslenderasanyoneneedbe。I’llanswerforit，MrsGoodenoughsawMolly，andtookherforCynthia。’WhenMissBrowning’answeredforit’MissPhoebegaveupdoubting。Shesatesometimeinsilencerevolvingherthoughts。Thenshesaid，—’Itwouldnotbesuchaverybadmatchafterall，sister。’Shespokeverymeekly，awaitinghersister’ssanctiontoheropinion。’Phoebe，itwouldbeabadmatchforMaryPreston’sdaughter。IfIhadknownwhatIknownowwe’dneverhavehadhimtotealastSeptember。’’Why，whatdoyouknow？’askedMissPhoebe。’MissHornblowertoldmemanythings；somethatIdon’tthinkyououghttohear，Phoebe。HewasengagedtoaveryprettyMissGregson，atHenwick，wherehecomesfrom；andherfathermadeinquiries，andheardsomuchthatwasbadabouthim，thathemadehisdaughterbreakoffthematch，andshe’sdeadsince！’’Howshocking！’saidMissPhoebe，dulyimpressed。’Besides，heplaysatbilliardsandhebetsatraces，andsomepeopledosayhekeepsrace—horses。’’Butisnotitstrangethattheearlkeepshimonashisagent？’’No！perhapsnot。He’sverycleveraboutland，andverysharpinalllawaffairs；andmylordisnotboundtotakenotice—ifindeedheknows—
ofthemannerinwhichMrPrestontalkswhenhehastakentoomuchwine。’’Takentoomuchwine。Oh，sistersisheadrunkard？andwehavehadhimtotea！’’Ididnotsayhewasadrunkard，Phoebe，’saidMissBrowning，pettishly。
’Amanmaytaketoomuchwineoccasionally，withoutbeingadrunkard。Don’tletmehearyouusingsuchcoarsewords，Phoebe！’MissPhoebewassilentforatimeafterthisrebuke。’Presentlyshesaid，’IdohopeitwasnotMollyGibson。’’Youmayhopeasmuchasyoulike，butI’mprettysureitwas。However，we’dbettersaynothingaboutittoMrsGoodenough；shehasgotCynthiaintoherhead，andthereletherrest。TimeenoughtosetreportsafloataboutMollywhenweknowthere’ssometruthinthem。MrPrestonmightdoforCynthia，who’sbeenbroughtupFrance，thoughshehassuchprettymanners；
butitmayhavemadehernotparticular。Hemustnot，andheshallnot，haveMolly，ifIgointochurchandforbidthebannsmyself；butI’mafraid—I’mafraidthere’ssomethingbetweenherandhim。Wemustkeeponthelookout，Phoebe。I’llbeherguardianangel，inspiteofherself。’EndofPartFourchapter41ELIZABETHGASKELLWIVESANDDAUGHTERSPARTV（ChaptersXLI—L）CHAPTERXLIGATHERINGCLOUDS