"Poor dear Aunt Maud!" Mona said caressingly; "it is a shame that she should be subjected to such a thing. But never mind, dear; he lives hundreds of miles away from here, and you are never likely to see him again." Lady Munro groaned. Fortunately, she had heard nothing of the invitation, and in another minute she was once more absorbed in the interest of the play. The party drove back to Gower Street in silence. Sir Douglas alighted at once, and held out his hand to help Mona. "Many thanks," she said warmly; "good night." "No; I am coming in for ten minutes. I want to speak to you. Home, Charles!" Mona opened the door, and led the way up the dimly lighted staircase to her cheerful sitting-room. "Now, Mona," he said, as soon as the door was closed, "I want the whole truth of this Borrowness business." Mona started visibly. Had he met Mr Cookson in the corridor, seized him by the throat, and demanded an account of his actions? No, that was clearly impossible. "Who has been talking to you?" she said resignedly. "I met Colonel Lawrence at the club to-day." Mona threw herself into the rocking-chair with a sigh of capitulation. "If you have heard _his_ story," she said, "you need not come to me for farther details. He knows more than I do myself. They say down at Borrowness that he is 'as guid as an auld almanac.'" But Sir Douglas declined to be amused. "How long were you there?" he said severely. "Six months." "And you have kept me in the dark about it all this time? I think I deserved greater confidence from you." "I think you did," she said frankly; "but you see, Uncle Douglas, I promised to go at a time when I only knew you by name, and I had not the least idea then that you would be so kind to me. I felt bound to keep my word, and I did not feel quite sure that you would approve of it." "_Approve of it!_" he exclaimed indignantly. "But I always meant to tell you about it sooner or later." Mona sighed. She had expected the whole story to come out in connection with her engagement to Dr Dudley. And now that engagement seemed to be becoming more and more problematical. "Particularly later," said Sir Douglas sarcastically. "It is nearly a year now since you left." "Yes; but that isn't exactly due to intentional secrecy on my part. The fact is, my visit has some painful associations for me now." "So I should think," he said. "Is it really true, Mona, that you stood behind a counter?--that you _kept a shop_?" "Perfectly true," said Mona, meeting his gaze without flinching. "I confess I had no special training for the work, but I did not do it so badly, after all." The least suspicion of a smile played about the corners of his mouth, but he suppressed it instantly. "And when," he asked, "may we expect your next attack of shopkeeping?" "Oh, did Colonel Lawrence not tell you? My cousin sailed for America months ago." He looked relieved. "To your infinite regret, no doubt."