After breakfast Girdlestone ordered the old woman out of the room, and, standing in front of the fire with his long legs apart and his hands behind his back, he told her in harsh concise language what his intentions were.

“I had long determined,” he said, “that if you ran counter to my wishes, and persisted in your infatuated affection for that scapegrace, I should remove you to some secluded spot, where you might reconsider your conduct and form better resolutions for the future.  This country house answered the purpose admirably, and as an old servant of mine, Mrs. Jorrocks, chanced to reside in the neighbourhood, I have warned her that at any time I might come down and should expect to find things ready.  Your rash and heartless conduct has, however, precipitated matters, and we have arrived before her preparations were complete.  Our future arrangements will therefore be less primitive than they are at present.  Here you shall remain, young lady, until you show signs of repentance, and of a willingness to undo the harm which you have done.”

“If you mean until I consent to marry your son, then I shall live and die here,” the girl said bravely.

“That rests with yourself.  As I said before, you are under discipline here, and you may not find existence such a bed of roses as it was in Eccleston Square.”

“Can I have my maid?” Kate asked.  “I can hardly stay here with no one but the old woman in the house.”

“Rebecca is coming down.  I had a telegram from Ezra to that effect, and he will himself join us for a day or two in each week.”

“Ezra here!” Kate cried in horror.  Her chief consolation through all her troubles had been that there seemed to be some chance of getting rid of her terrible suitor.

“And why not?” the old man asked angrily.  “Are you so bitter against the lad as to grudge him the society of his own father?”

Kate was saved from further reproaches by the entrance of the old woman to clear the table.  The last item of intelligence, however, had given her a terrible shock, and at the same time had filled her with astonishment.  What could the fast-living, comfort-seeking man about town want in this dreary abode?  She knew Ezra well, and was sure that he was not a man to alter his ways of life or suffer discomfort of any kind without some very definite object.  It seemed to her that this was a new mesh in the net which was being drawn round her.

When her guardian had left the room Kate asked Mrs. Jorrocks for a sheet of paper.  The crone shook her head and wagged her pendulous lip in derision.

“Mister Girdlestone thought as you would be after that,” she said.  “There ain’t no paper here, nor pens neither, nor ink neither.”

“What, none!  Dear Mrs. Jorrocks, do have pity on me, and get me a sheet, however old and soiled.  See, here is some silver!  You are very welcome to it if you will give me the materials for writing one letter.”