I do not know what she wore. Her gown seemed to me to be of some soft crepe or silk, and the colour of it was a smoky misty blue. There were pearls around her neck, and her hair, arranged with exquisite simplicity, seemed to be drawn back from her face and arranged low down on the back of her neck. She had still the fresh delightful colour which had been in her cheeks when she left Braster, and the smile with which she welcomed me was as delightful as ever. "This is a charming arrangement," she declared. "You know that you are such an important person, and have to be watched so closely, that you are to stay here. I went up myself with the housekeeper to see to your rooms. I do hope that you will be comfortable." "Comfortable is not the word," I answered. "I have never been used to such luxury." She laughed. "Dear me!" she said. "I have so much to tell you, and the carriage is waiting already. Thank goodness we dine alone to-morrow night. But there is one thing which I must tell you at once. Sir Michael Trogoldy is in town, you know. He took me in to dinner at Amberley House last night, and we talked about you." "I had a letter from Sir Michael a few days ago," I answered. "He made a proposition to me--and asked me to call and see him." Something in my voice, I suppose, betrayed my feelings. She laid her hand upon my arm. "Mr. Ducaine," she said, "I do hope that you mean to be reasonable. Sir Michael is a dear old man." "He is my mother's brother," I answered, "and he left me to starve." "He had not the least idea," she declared, "that you were not reasonably well off. He is most interested in hearing about you, and he was delighted to have you accept the allowance he offered you. You will go and see him?" "Yes, I shall go," I promised. "I scarcely see the use of it, but I will go." "You must not be foolish," she said softly. "Sir Michael is very rich> and you are his only near relative. Besides, you have had such a lonely time, and it is quite time that you saw a little of the other side of life. Sir Michael is a particular friend of mine, and I promised him that I would talk to you about this. I am most anxious to hear that you get on well together. You can be amiable if you like, you know, and you can be very much the other thing." "I will try," I assured her, "not to be the other thing." She smiled. "And tell me all about Braster." "There is not much to tell," I answered. "I have been hard at work all the time, and I have scarcely seen a soul." "The woman--Mrs. Smith-Lessing?" "She left Braster before you. I have not seen her since the evening of the day I saw her last." She appeared relieved. "May I ask you a question?" I asked. She nodded. "About Colonel Ray. Has the Duke forgiven him?" "On the contrary, he is more bitter than ever," Lady Angela answered. "I have seen him once or twice only. He does not come here." "I saw in the paper," I said, "that your engage--"