“How am I to begin?  You remember that time when father would not receive my offer of assistance.”

“Your father did not understand you; nor will you find it easy to discover satisfactory employment in your own country.  But travel, look around you.  You are rich and independent, and there are other lands where work is to be had, and in them you ought to find suitable occupation.”

“Do you really advise me to travel elsewhere, Mr. Worse?” said Rachel.

“Yes; that is to say—­yes, I think it would be best for you.  Here you have little opportunity of development, and, to speak plainly, I think you ought to travel.”  As he said the last words he regained his self-possession, and could now look her in the face calmly, and without flinching.

“But where shall I go—­a lonely woman without friends?  I am afraid you over-estimate my powers,” said Rachel, with a reluctant air.  It was as if she did not fancy his advising her to go away.

“I may as well tell you what I think now,” he began, hurriedly.  “I have some acquaintances in Paris.  In fact, an American firm—­Barnett Brothers they are called—­who have a house in Paris; and Mr. Frederick Barnett is a personal friend of mine.”

“You seem to have been arranging to get rid of me for some time,” said Rachel; “why, you have the whole plan ready prepared.”

He showed some signs of confusion, for it was a scheme he had carefully considered, but which he had always hoped he would not have to put into execution.

“Yes,” answered he, endeavouring to laugh; “as your guardian, it is my duty to assist you, to the best of my ability, to arrange for your future.”

“But are you going to send me to Paris alone?”

“No; I have been thinking of offering you Svendsen as an escort.  You surely know old Svendsen, my bookkeeper?  He has been several times in Paris, and is a most trustworthy man.  I am sure you will be contented with Mr. Barnett’s house, which is more like an English one.  And that, I think, will suit you better than a purely French household.”

“Does your friend take boarders?” asked Rachel, quickly.

“Not as a rule, as far as I know.  You will thus find it more expensive than at an ordinary pension; but I am almost certain that both Mr. and Mrs. Barnett, who is a French lady, are the sort of people you will like.  And it is exactly in the American society of Paris that you will have the best opportunity of finding employment if you wish for it.  At any rate, you can stay some time in Mr. Barnett’s house, until you find something else you prefer.”

His tone was deliberate and decided, as if he already regarded the matter as finally settled; and when Rachel got up to take her leave she found that her mind was already made up, without being conscious of how she had arrived at her conclusion.  She looked forward to a new and more active life, with mingled feelings of expectation and pleasure.  But at the same time she was somewhat hurt—­no, not hurt, but sad—­no, not exactly sad, either; but she could not help thinking it was extraordinary, that he should show himself so eager to get her away.