“Naturally.”

“And so you would sacrifice Dorothea to your personal convenience.”

“I wouldn’t, if there was a woman competent to take the place; but there isn’t.”

“There is.  There’s Diane Eveleth.”

“Who?”

The dark flush that swept into his face made it clear to Lucilla that his question was not put for purposes of information.  She had remarked in Derek during the past few weeks a manner of fighting shy of Diane at variance with his usual method with women.  Safety in flight was the course he commonly adopted; but since Diane appeared on the scene, Lucilla had noticed that it was flight with a curious tendency to looking backward.

“I said Diane Eveleth,” she replied, in tactful answer to his superfluous question; “and I assure you she’s fully equal to the duties you would require of her.  I suppose you’ve never noticed her especially—?”

“I used to know her a little,” he said, in an offhand manner.  “I’ve seen her here.  That’s all.”

“If a woman could have been made on purpose for what you want, it’s she.”

“Dear me!  You don’t say so!”

“It’s no use trying to be sarcastic about it, Derek.  She’s not the one to suffer by it; it’s Dorothea.  Though, when it comes to suffering, she has her share, poor thing.”

“I suppose no decent woman who has just lost her husband is expected to be absolutely hilarious over the event.”

“She hasn’t just lost him; it’s getting on toward a year.  And, besides, it isn’t only that.  As a matter of fact, I don’t believe she ever loved him as she could love the man to whom she gave her heart.  If grief was her only trouble, I am sure the poor thing could bear it.”

“And can’t she bear it as it is?”

“The fact that she does bear it shows that she can; but it must be hard for a woman, who has lived as she has, to be brought to want.”

“Want?  Isn’t that a strong word?  One isn’t in want unless one is without food and shelter.”

“She has the shelter for the time being; I’m not sure that she always has the food.”

“What?  You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“I know exactly what I’m saying; and I mean exactly what I say.  There have been days when I’ve suspected that she’s pinching in the essentials of meat and drink.”

“But she has pupils.”

“She has two; but they must pay her very little.  It’s dreadful for people who have as much as we to have to look on at the tragedy of others going hungry—­”

“Good Lord!  Don’t pile it on.”

Striding to a window, he stood with his back to her, staring out.

“I’m not piling it on, Derek.  I wish I were.”

“Well, can’t we do something?  If it’s as you say, they mustn’t be left like that.”

“It’s a very delicate matter.  The mother-in-law has money of her own; but Diane has nothing.  It’s difficult to see what to do, except to find her a situation.”