“Well, well!  That remains to be seen.  Just smooth your hair, won’t you?  It’s all rough where you have leaned on your hand over your writing.  It’s no matter?  Well, it doesn’t much.  Do you think he has any votes for the British Benevolent Institution for Aged Women?  I do so want to get my gardener’s mother—­There, go, go, dear!  You had better not keep him waiting.”  And Katherine was gently propelled out of the room.

In truth, she was rather reluctant to face De Burgh, although she felt gratified and soothed by his taking the trouble to find her out.

Katherine found her visitor pacing up and down when she opened the drawing-room door, feeling vexed with herself for her changing color and the embarrassment she felt she displayed.  De Burgh was looking taller and squarer than ever, but his dark face brightened so visibly as his eyes met Katherine’s, that she felt a pang as she thought how unmoved she was herself.

“I thought you had escaped from sight!” he exclaimed, holding her hand for a moment longer than was absolutely necessary.  “The first time I went to look for you in the old place, I was simply told you had left, by a stupid old woman who knew nothing.  Then I called again and asked for Miss—­you know whom I mean; she is rather a brick, and told me all about you.  In the mean time I met Mrs. Ormonde.  I was determined not to ask her anything—­she is such a selfish little devil.  Now here I am face to face with you at last.”  And he drew a chair opposite her, and was silent for a minute, gazing with a wistful look in her face.

“You have not a very high opinion of my sister-in-law,” said Katherine, beginning as far away from themselves as she could.

“She is an average woman,” he said, shortly.  “But tell me, what is the matter with you?  I did not think you were the sort of girl to break your heart over the loss of a fortune.”

“But I have not broken my heart!” she exclaimed, somewhat startled by his positive tone.

“There’s a look of pain in your eyes, a despondency in your very figure; don’t you think I know every turn of you?  Well, I won’t say more if it annoys you.  We have changed places, Katherine—­I mean Miss Liddell.  Fortune has given me a turn at last, and I have been tremendously busy.  I had no idea how troublesome it is to be rich.  There are compensations, however.  This doesn’t seem a bad sort of place”—­looking round at the crowd of china and bric-a-brac ornaments and the comfortable chairs.  “How did you come here, and what has been settled?  Don’t think me impertinent or intrusive; you know you agreed we should be friends, and you must not send me adrift!”

“Thank you, Lord de Burgh.  I am sure you could be a very loyal friend.  My story is very short.”  And she gave him a brief sketch of how her affairs had been arranged.

“By George!  Ormonde is a mean sneak.  To think of his leaving those boys on your hands! and he has plenty of money.  I happen to know that his wife has been dabbling in the stocks, and turned some money too.  Now where did she get the cash to do it with but from him?  So I suppose you intend to starve yourself in order to educate the poor little chaps?”