Gathered In by Catherine Helen Spence — Read

Edith Gray had been in Castlehurst all day. Her brother Charlie and his wife had arrived on the previous day, but even that could not keep the sister at home. She went ostensibly with Mrs. Ellerton, who had her evidence to give, but the truth was she would not remain at Wilta with the two persons who ought to have been to her most interesting in the world, and talk to them on subjects foreign to that which engrossed all her thoughts. She nevertheless did not go to the trial. A strange contradictory whirl of emotions worked within her. Charlie had suggested that she should see Talbot win his laurels--and that was an unpleasant suggestion--and Helen had said that she could not conceive how any one who could stay away could go to such a place as a Court of justice, and that too was disagreeable. So she sat at the Royal Hotel expecting that as soon as Sybil was relieved she would hurry to the privacy of the rooms which the Grays had taken for the day, and she had charged her brother Walter to see that she left the Court at once. But Sybil could not go after she had given her evidence. She wanted to know if the case was made clear enough without her needing to say anything more. Her announcement that she was the prisoner's sister had created the greatest sensation in the Court. The three persons not astonished at it were Hugh Carmichael, George Oswald, and Walter Gray. Kenneth saw by his uncle's face the reason of his forbearance with regard to the traced note, and breathed more freely. And it was probable that Sybil had confided in Edith's brother, when he had explained to her how much it was necessary for her to admit.

Had she told Edith herself? That would have been more difficult. There are some things more easily said to a cool man than to an impetuous enthusiastic woman.