But what was this that Dick was saying in so hushed a voice, in answer to her idle question? "Yes, I'm sorry to say there is news--bad news." The speaker was intensely conscious of Athena's presence. Did she know, or did she not know, what he was about to say? He added slowly, "Poor Bayworth Kaye is dead." Jane uttered an exclamation of horror and concern. Athena said nothing; but she took a piece of toast out of the tiny rack in front of her plate, and began crumbling it in her hand. "Yes, it's a terrible thing"--Wantele was now speaking to Lingard. "The poor fellow was an only son--indeed, an only child. We've known him all his life. It will be a shock to Richard----" He talked on, and still Athena remained silent. But when at last Jane turned to her with, "I suppose you will be going down to the rectory this morning?" Mrs. Maule threw back her head and spoke with a touch of angry excitement in her voice:-- "Why did you tell me now, Dick, before breakfast? You've made me miserable--miserable! You know I hate being told of anyone's death. I hate death! No, I shan't go to the rectory--you can go, Jane, and say all that should be said from Richard and from me." Lingard looked severely at Wantele. How stupid, how heartless, the young man was always showing himself! Why had he hastened to tell sad news which he must have known would so much distress Athena and Jane Oglander? "I'm so sorry! I was afraid you would see it in one of the papers," Wantele spoke as if he did indeed repent of his cruel lack of thought. Athena accepted his apology in silence. After a while she turned to her guest:-- "I wish you had met poor Bayworth Kaye," she said musingly, "he was just the sort of man you would have liked. He was tremendously keen----" Then she stopped short; looking up she had met Dick Wantele's light-coloured eyes fixed on her face with an expression of--was it extreme surprise or angry disgust? She looked straight at him: "Don't you agree, Dick?" "Yes, yes," he said hastily, "I certainly agree," and his eyes wavered and fell before her frank, questioning gaze. CHAPTER XIII "L'amour et la douleur sont parallels Ces deux lignes-là vont à jamais ensemble." Owing to the peculiar conditions of his life, a life led almost entirely apart from the rest of his household, Richard Maule seldom had occasion to see Hew Lingard and Athena together. But the owner of Rede Place always realised a great deal more of what was going on than those about him credited him with doing, and on his wife he kept a constant, secret watch of which she alone became sometimes uncomfortably aware. As the fine autumn days--to the stricken man the pleasantest time of the year--wore themselves away, Richard Maule grew particularly kind and considerate to Jane Oglander.