Alice was silenced, and sat half sulky, half sobbing, by the fire, while the preparations for departure went forward.  She offered help hysterically once or twice, but it was not needed.

The little car from the village arrived in half an hour.  The Squire stood at the hall door waiting for it.  He had not spoken since the news arrived except to give the most necessary orders.  But as he saw the car nearing the house, he turned to Elizabeth.

‘I expect we shall cross to-night.  I shall wire you to-morrow.’  Then to Forest—­

’Do your best to help Miss Bremerton.  She is in charge of everything.’

’Aye, sir.  You’ll give our duty to Mr. Desmond, sir.  I trust you’ll bring him home.’

The Squire made no reply.  He stood motionless till the car arrived, stepped into it, and was gone.

Elizabeth went back into the house, and to Alice Gaddesden, still sobbing by the fire.  At sight of Elizabeth she broke out into complaints of her father’s unkindness, mixed presently, to Elizabeth’s dismay, with jealousy of her father’s secretary.

’I don’t know why father didn’t let me help him with his packing, and it’s I who should have been left in charge!  I’m his eldest daughter—­it is natural that I should be.  I can tell you it’s very hard—­to see somebody—­who’s not a relation—­doing—­doing everything for him!—­so that he won’t let anybody else advise him—­or do anything!  It is very—­very—­wounding for us all.  Pamela feels it—­I know she does—­and Desmond too.’

Elizabeth, very white and distressed, knelt down by her and tried to calm her.  But the flood of angry self-pity could not be stayed.

’Oh, I daresay you don’t mean it, but you have—­yes, you have a way of getting everybody’s attention.  Of course you’re awfully clever—­much cleverer than I am—­or Pamela.  But still it—­it isn’t pleasant.  I know Pamela felt it dreadfully—­being cut out with people she likes—­people she cares about—­and who—­who might care for her—­like Arthur Chicksands.  I believe—­yes, I do believe—­though she never told me—­that’s why she went to London.’

Elizabeth rose from her knees.  For a moment she was struck dumb.  And when at last she spoke it was only to repeat the name Mrs. Gaddesden had mentioned in utter bewilderment.

‘Captain Chicksands!  What can you mean?’

’Why, of course girls can’t hold their own with older women when the older women are so charming and clever—­and all that’—­cried Mrs. Gaddesden, trying desperately to justify herself—­’but I’ve been awfully sorry for Pamela!  Very likely it’s not your fault—­you couldn’t know, I daresay!’

‘No, indeed, I didn’t know!’ said Elizabeth, in a low voice, ’and I can’t understand now what you mean.’

’Don’t you remember the day Arthur Chicksands spent here just before Desmond went?  Don’t you remember how he talked to you all the afternoon about the woods?  Well, I saw Pamela’s face as she was sitting behind you.’