“And where is such a friend to be found?  He must be a very disinterested friend who would advance thirty thousand pounds.”

“Nobody in this world is quite disinterested, Miss de la Molle; or at any rate very few are.  What would you give to such a friend?”

“I would give anything and everything over which I have control in this world, to save my father from seeing Honham sold over his head,” she answered simply.

Edward Cossey laughed a little.  “That is a large order,” he said.  “Miss de la Molle, I am disposed to try and find the money to take up these mortgages.  I have not got it, and I shall have to borrow it, and what is more, I shall have to keep the fact that I have borrowed it a secret from my father.”

“It is very good of you,” said Ida faintly, “I don’t know what to say.”

For a moment he made no reply, and looking at him, Ida saw that his hand was trembling.

“Miss de la Molle,” he said, “there is another matter of which I wish to speak to you.  Men are sometimes put into strange positions, partly through their own fault, partly by force of circumstances, and when in those positions, are forced down paths that they would not follow.  Supposing, Miss de la Molle, that mine were some such position, and supposing that owing to that position I could not say to you words which I should wish to say——­”

Ida began to understand now and once more turned aside.

“Supposing, however, that at some future time the difficulties of that position of which I have spoken were to fade away, and I were then to speak those words, can you, supposing all this—­tell me how they would be received?”

Ida paused, and thought.  She was a strong-natured and clear-headed woman, and she fully understood the position.  On her answer would depend whether or no the thirty thousand pounds were forthcoming, and therefore, whether or no Honham Castle would pass from her father and her race.

“I said just now, Mr. Cossey,” she answered coldly, “that I would give anything and everything over which I have control in the world, to save my father from seeing Honham sold over his head.  I do not wish to retract those words, and I think that in them you will find an answer to your question.”

He coloured.  “You put the matter in a very business-like way,” he said.

“It is best put so, Mr. Cossey,” she answered with a faint shade of bitterness in her tone; “it preserves me from feeling under an obligation—­will you see my father about these mortgages?”

“Yes, to-morrow.  And now I will say good-bye to you,” and he took her hand, and with some little hesitation kissed it.  She made no resistance and showed no emotion.

“Yes,” she answered, “we have been here some time; Mrs. Quest will wonder what has become of you.”

It was a random arrow, but it went straight home, and for the third time that day Edward Cossey reddened to the roots of his hair.  Without answering a word he bowed and went.