Nell suppressed the urge to be impatient. She well knew, as did all of the 
other girls, that Fiona's father had disappeared several years ago and never 
come back. He was rumored to be on an honorable and official mission; but as 
years went by this belief was gradually supplanted by the suspicion that 
something disgraceful had taken place. It would be easy enough for Nell to make 
the point that she had
been through much worse. But seeing the depth of Fiona's unhappiness, she had 
to consider the possibility that Fiona was in a worse situation now.