"Oh, my dear child, you've made yourself part of it as nobody else has. I couldn't talk like this to anybody but you--not even to the Dragon, who has an indulgent eye for my weaknesses. It is weak, I suppose, to grouse as I'm doing. The children are happy, and I've helped to make them so. It's only myself I'm thinking of, and I shan't inflict my troubles on anybody after this. You've caught me just at the time." "I'm very glad I have," she said. "Perhaps I can do something for you in return for all you've done for me. One of the last things Caroline said to me, upstairs, was, 'Take care of my darling old Daddy, while I'm away.' So you see _she_ was thinking of you, left alone, up to the last; and she treats me as one of the family. I know I can't take her place, or B's; but I can do something if you'll let me. You've been awfully good to me. You've always given me help when I've wanted it, and it hasn't been altogether easy to behave myself as a responsible person, when I'm still young enough to prefer to be looked after." He smiled at her kindly. "All women want looking after," he said. "But you've shown yourself remarkably capable." She smiled in return, rather ruefully. "I try to be," she said. "But I don't always feel it. It has been a great comfort to know I could apply to you in my difficulties. You'll let me make some return now, won't you? Caroline entrusted me to you, you know." "The dear child! Well, my dear, you've done me good already. I thought you would. Yes, you've made yourself one of us, Ella. It won't be so desolating to come down here, if you're about. I shall be bringing people down, but they won't make up to me for the loss of my girls. You will; so I shall hope to see you over here as much as ever." They reached the house again, and went in by the same way. Barbara met them in the upstairs corridor. "Dad, I've been looking for you everywhere," she said. "Where ever have you both been?" "For a little walk to clear our brains," he said. "Now we're ready to take up our duties again. What do you want, darling?" It seemed that she wanted nothing in particular. She talked to him for half a minute outside his room, and then went downstairs to join the rest. That evening Ella found herself in a corner of the Long Gallery with Lady Grafton, with whom she had made friends. "You're looking very beautiful to-night," said her ladyship, with an appraising and approving eye on her, "and most surprisingly young. How old are you, exactly? I should have said about nineteen." "Thank you very much," said Ella. "I'm twenty-five. Sometimes I feel immeasurably older, but my happiest state is when I can think of myself as still a girl." "Well, you look like one to-night; as I said, about nineteen. I can't think why you haven't married again. You must often have thought of it."