“Ah, yes, there could be one—­it would be so much worse if my dear wife had died.”

But after a time he began to shake his head gravely as she shook hers, and sigh as he answered: 

“Ah, yes, it is a terrible infliction.”

If any little domestic unpleasantness occurred, a thing by Sir Roland’s desire always kept from my mother, she would look so kindly at him.

“Dear Sir Roland, how tiresome all this is for you.  I wonder you are so patient.”  Could my mother help it, I cried to myself with passionate tears; was it her fault that she was stricken and helpless; ought this woman to speak to my father about it as though he were the sufferer?  The tears that fell from my eyes blinded me; thus I had to go to my lessons, my heart torn with its sense of injury and resentment against the one who seemed to me my mother’s enemy, I knew not why.

Again, if there was a question about any visitors, and my father seemed at a loss for a few minutes, she would say: 

“How painful it is for you, Sir Roland, to be troubled in this fashion; can I do anything to help you?” Or it would be, “How sorry I am to see you teased about such trifles, Sir Roland; can I manage it for you?”

The same when he received invitations:  before now it had seemed at least almost a pleasure to decline them.  I could remember how he used to take both the letters of invitation and his refusals and send them to my mother, commenting on them as he read.  That was always followed by a pretty little love scene, during which my mother would express her regret that he was deprived of a pleasure; and he always answered that the only pleasure he had was to be with her.

Nor do I believe that state of things would ever have changed but for Miss Reinhart.  Now, when these letters came and he would read them with knitted brow, she would inquire gently, ah, and with such sweet, seductive sweetness, if anything in his letters had put him out.

“No,” he would answer with a sigh.  “Oh, no!  There is nothing in my letters to annoy me—­just the contrary.  I ought to feel delighted.  Sir Charles Pomfret wishes me to go over to Pomfort Castle for a few days; he has a fine large party there, and several of my old friends among them.”

“What a disappointment to you,” she cried.  “You must feel these things sorely.”

A frown instead of a smile passed over his face.

I remember when he used to laugh, and say that it was a pleasure to give up anything to be with my mother.  Now he began to pace up and down the room while she looked after him with pitiful eyes.  Suddenly she rose, and, going up to him, laid her hand on his arm.  She gazed earnestly into his face.

“Why stay away, Sir Roland?  I am sure you might go if you would.  I will take care of Lady Tayne.  I do not see that you need be anxious, or that there is the least need for giving up the party; let me persuade you to go.”