Her mistress allowed her to have her way. She felt some strong underneath currents were affecting the girl, and further tantalization would not be bad for the Duke. So she left her at the writing-table and joined the rest of the party under the cedar trees on the tennis lawn, and did not mention Katherine or her whereabouts. If Mordryn wanted to know why she had not come out, or where she was, he must pluck up courage to ask himself. The Duke glanced at her enquiringly, but he said nothing--perhaps Katherine would follow presently--but could she have gone again on the lake with Lady Alethea and those empty-headed young men? He would not ask, he would go himself and see. So when he had disposed of his important guests, he went to his own sitting-room from which there was a complete view of the waterways, and then he took the trouble to get out his glasses and scan the occupants of the boats. No, she was not among them. She must then either be still in her bedroom--or writing perhaps in front of the window of the passage place which was next this very room! He would go out on the terrace from one of the windows and look in. Yes--she was there seated at the table very busy, it appeared. He came forward and stepping across the threshold, he stood beside her. "Good morning, Miss Bush--it is quite wrong for you to be working on this glorious day. You must come out into the sunshine with the rest of us." Katherine did not rise or appear to be going to follow his suggestion, so he added authoritatively: "Now be a good girl and go and get your hat." "I am very sorry I cannot before lunch; I have much work to do, and it becomes disorganised if I leave it unfinished." "Nonsense! You did not come to Valfreyne to work. There are such a number of things I want to show you. Everyone is out in the garden, won't you at least come round the state rooms with me?" How could she refuse him? He was her host and the pleasure would be so intense. She rose, but without alacrity and answered a little stiffly: "I should much like to see them--if it will not take very long." Her manner was distinctly different, he noticed it at once--a curtain seemed to have fallen between them ever since the conversation about the pencillings in the book. It chilled him and made him determined to remove it. He held the door into his sitting-room open for her, and took pains to keep the conversation upon the ostensible reason for their voyage of inspection. He spoke of carving and dates, and told her anecdotes of the building of Valfreyne. And so they passed on through all the splendid rooms, "The King's Chamber," and "The Queen's Closet,"--and the salons and so to the great state suite of her who should be reigning Duchess. And Katherine saw priceless gems of art and splendour of gilding and tapestry, and hangings, and great ghostly beds surmounted with nodding ostrich plumes. And stuffs from Venice and Lyons--and even Spitalfields.