The gentlemen soon followed them; and once more Kate handed a cup of tea to Egerton, their eyes met as he took it, and a tear started to Kate's, as the familiar action brought the memory of her grandfather vividly before her. "I have so much to say to you--so much to enquire of you," said Egerton, in a low tone, placing himself beside her; "but I must see you alone; I dare not agitate you with reminiscences so sad before a stranger, or indeed any third person." "Yes, I have much to tell you," returned Miss Vernon, tremulously. "It is a great mystery to me, the absence of nurse; I do not half like it," resumed Egerton. "I have brought you the letter from her son." "Thank you; I will forward it to-morrow. She will join me at A----. We return there in about a fortnight." "It was a most extraordinary occurrence," said Egerton, slowly stirring his cup round and round, "that I should have been in the same church with you at Carrington, and not know it. Why did you not speak to me--call to me--shy a prayer-book at my head! anything, rather than let me miss the good of which I was in search?" Kate smiled, and shook her head. "What a stupid numskull I was not to translate the instinctive feeling of your presence correctly, instead of pooh-poohing it away, after our friend Winter's fashion; however, all's well now. Give my kindest remembrance to Mrs. O'Toole when you write." "Certainly," said Kate, "I shall not fail." "Your cousin, Lady Desmond, is in Ireland, so Burton told me; he is a capital fellow; but Dashwood was away, God knows where; and he was the only person it appears who had any trace of you. Do you know where he is?" "No, he told me he was going to fish in Ireland when I saw him last." "So Lord Effingham is off to St. Petersburgh, Miss Vernon," said Langley, at this juncture. Kate felt that Fred's eye was on her, and coloured deeply, as she merely bowed in assent. "Curious place to winter in," he continued. Then Winter made some observations about the freezing of the Neva, and the Russian costume; and he and Langley talked on for a good while standing on the hearth-rug, and sipping their tea; but Egerton was silent, for some time; and Kate did not like to look at him; at last he asked-- "Do you ever sing now?" "Oh yes," answered Mrs. Winter for her. "Sing that pretty new song you got yesterday, my love." "No, no," cried Egerton, eagerly, "an old one for me--dare I ask for 'The Serenade,' if it would not distress you. I have so often longed to hear it again." "I will try," said Kate; "but--"