"You won't take bite nor sup, Mr Aldworth? We're so honoured to have you in the house, sir, so pleased, so delighted. You are sure you won't take bite nor sup?" "I am sorry, but I must catch my train; it leaves at 9:10." "And how, if I might venture to ask you, is your poor mother, Mr Aldworth?" "My mother is better. She is not at home at present. She is at Hurst Castle with Miss Angela St Just. Miss St Just has had a wonderful effect upon her, and has managed to get her over there, and I trust she may come back a very different woman." "Then after all," said Mrs Griffiths, "poor little Nesta did not injure her mother; that is something to be thankful for, and when you are scolding her, sir, I hope you will bear it in mind. And I hope, Griffiths, you will also bear it in mind, and act handsome by our child, and take her in the true spirit and forgive her." "I am disgusted," said Griffiths, "disgusted." He stalked to the door, pushed it wide open, let it bang behind him, and went down the stairs. "There!" said Mrs Griffiths, bursting into tears, "he will be unmanageable, not only to-night, but to-morrow, and the day after, and the day after. A pretty time Floss and I'll have--a pretty time truly. But I'm glad you spoke up, Mr Aldworth. You are not offended with us, forsooth?" "Offended with you, madam," said the young man; "how can I do anything but thank you for your kindness to my poor silly young sister? But now I must really be off." CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. IN HIDING. When Nesta reached the railway station she was almost beside herself with fear. She went to the ticket office to get a third-class single ticket for Newcastle. There was a girl standing just in front of her, a commonplace, respectable looking girl, who asked for a ticket to a place which she pronounced as Souchester. The ticket only cost one and sixpence. It flashed through Nesta's mind that she might just as well go to Souchester as anywhere else. It had not before entered into her brain that here lay an immediate source of relief. Perhaps her family would be really frightened when they knew nothing about her, so frightened that when they saw her again, they would forgive her. Scarcely knowing what she did, and with no previous intention of going anywhere but straight home, she too asked for a ticket to Souchester. The man handed it to her. "One and sixpence, please," he said.