There was a little pause. And then Katty, her eyes bent downwards, said, "I didn't quite mean that, Mr. Baynton. Of course I'm very sorry about your new row with Mr. Pavely, for it must be so hateful to Laura to feel she can't have her own brother in her own house. But--well----" She threw her head back, and gazed straight across at him. "Can you keep a secret?" she asked. "Yes, of course I can!" He looked at her amused. "I want you to keep what I'm going to say absolutely to yourself. I don't want you ever to hint a word of it to Laura--still less to Oliver Tropenell." "Of course I won't!" He looked at her with growing curiosity. What was it she was going to tell him? "I wonder if I ought to tell you," she murmured. He laughed outright. "Well, I can't _make_ you tell me!" She felt piqued at his indifference. "Yes, I will tell you, though it isn't _my_ secret!" she exclaimed. "But I feel that you ought to know it--being Laura's brother. Laura," her voice dropped, she spoke in a very low voice, "Laura is in love with Oliver Tropenell, Mr. Baynton. And Oliver is in love with Laura--a thousand times more in love with her than she is in love with him!" She gave him a swift glance across the tea-table. Yes! Her shot had told indeed. He looked extraordinarily moved and excited. So excited that he got up from his chair. "Good God!" he exclaimed incredulously. "Laura?" And then, "Tropenell? Are you sure of this, Mrs. Winslow?" "Yes," she answered in a quiet, composed voice that carried conviction. "I am _quite_ sure. They are both very, very unhappy, for they are good, high-minded people. They wouldn't do anything wrong for the world." As he looked at her a little oddly, and with a queer little smile all over his face, she exclaimed, "I _know_ Laura wouldn't." And he nodded, a little ashamed of that queer little smile. Gilbert Baynton's face stiffened into deep gravity. His eyes were shining, and he was staring down at the little table, his half-finished cup of tea forgotten. He sat down again. "Has Laura told you this?" he asked abruptly. "Are you her confidante?" Katty hesitated. "No," she said at last. "I don't suppose Laura has spoken of the matter to any living soul. But if you promise absolutely not to give me away--I can tell you how you can assure yourself of the truth. Ask Mrs. Tropenell. _She_ knows. I won't say any more." "And Pavely?" he asked. "What part does my fine brother-in-law play? Does proper Godfrey know? Is priggish Godfrey jealous?" She answered slowly: "I think that Mr. Pavely suspects. He and Oliver Tropenell were great friends till quite lately. But there's a coldness now. I don't know what happened. But _something_ happened." "I see now why Tropenell has stayed here so long. I thought it must be a woman! I thought some prudish, dull, English girl had got hold of him----" He waited a moment.