"Why, you don't mean to say you have
gone back to that originally preposterous
notion of remaining here after we have all
gone? Do you remember the man who
was going to play Othello and blacked
himself all over, Mr. Joyce? There is such
a thing as overdoing one's devotion to one's
duty; or rather, what one imagines one's
duty."

"No, I certainly do not intend to remain
at Westhope."

"You are pleased to speak in enigmas,
to-day, Mr. Joyce; and as I am horridly
stupid at such things, and never guessed
one of them in my life, I must be content
to wait until you are further pleased to
explain." There was an impertinence about
her ladyship sometimes in look and tone
which became her immensely, and was
extraordinarily provoking.

"Seriously, then, Lady Caroline, I am
thinking of leaving my present occupation——"

"Of leaving us—I mean Lord Hetherington?"
interrupted Lady Caroline.

"Yes. Not that I am not, as I ought to
be, thoroughly grateful to his lordship and
to everybody of his family for their kindness
and consideration to me, but the fact is that I
have received an offer of employment which,
perhaps, will suit me better, and—"

"You would be very foolish not to avail
yourself of it, then, Mr. Joyce," again
interrupted Lady Caroline, the chilling tone
coming back to her voice and the stern
look to her face.

"Will you kindly hear me out?" said
Joyce. "I am not exaggerating when I
say that I am so grateful for all the kindness
which I have received in this house,
that nothing would tempt me to leave it
that did not give me the chance of being
enabled to gratify the one wish of my life.
The offer which has been made to me will,
I think, do this. You have been good
enough, Lady Caroline, to admit me to
sufficient intimacy to talk of my private
affairs, and when I mention the one wish
of my life, you will know that I mean my
marriage with Miss Ashurst."

"Certainly," said Lady Caroline, full of
attention; "and the proposition which is
under your consideration—or, rather, which
I suppose you have accepted—will enable
you to carry out this plan?"

"It will. There shall be no disguise
with you. I am offered the post of Berlin
correspondent to a London newspaper. The
salary would not be considered large by
you, or any one of your—You know what
I mean," he said, in answer to an impatient
movement of her head. "But it is sufficient
to enable me to offer Marian the comforts
which she ought to have, and to receive her
mother to live with us."

"That will be very nice—very nice indeed,"
said Lady Caroline, reflectively.
"I'm sure I congratulate you very heartily,
Mr. Joyce—very heartily. I think you
said, when that man—what's his name?
—Lord Hetherington's agent—said
something about a boy whom you knew being
killed—I think you said you had not heard
from Miss Ashurst for some time?"

"Yes; I did say so."

"Have you heard since?"

"No, I have not. But I can perfectly
understand her silence, and you would, if
you knew her. Marian is one of those
persons who, on occasions like this—of
illness and death, I mean—are the mainstay
of the place wherever they may happen to
be, and have to take the whole burden of
management on to their own shoulders."

"Of course—certainly—no doubt," said
Lady Caroline. "And she has not written
since the boy's death?"

"No, not since."

"It must have been a sad blow for the
old father to bear. I don't know why I
call him old, though. What age is he?"

"Mr. Creswell? About fifty-five, I
should think."

"Ah, poor man! poor man!" said Lady
Caroline, with much greater expression of
pity for Mr. Creswell than when she first
heard of Tom's death. "You have written
to Miss Ashurst, informing her of this
proposition, you say, Mr. Joyce?"

"Yes, I wrote directly the offer assumed
a tangible form."

"And as yet you have not had her
reply?"

"No; there has not been time. I
only wrote yesterday; she will not get the
letter until to-morrow."

"True, a two days' post from here to—
where she is staying. Then you will look
for her answer on Wednesday. Are you
entirely depending on Miss Ashurst's
reply?"

"I scarcely understand you, Lady Caroline?"

"I mean you are waiting until you hear
from Miss Ashurst before you send your
acceptance of this offer? Exactly so!
But—suppose Miss Ashurst thought it
unadvisable for her to leave this place where
she is staying just now—"

"That is an impossible supposition."