“Oh, there’s nothing in the least wonderful about that,” replied Ethel, who by this time had regained possession of her hand. “I am here as companion, for the time being, to Lady Pell, who is a relative of Sir Gilbert. Of course you have heard that my dear aunts have lost the greater part of their fortune and have been compelled to leave their old home?” Everard nodded. “Well, through Lady Pell, my aunts obtained a tenant for Vale View House in the person of her stepdaughter, and that was how she and they became acquainted. Her companion being away on account of illness, I am filling the position _pro tem_.” “I hope Lady Pell intends making a long stay at the Chase.” “She came, intending to stay only a couple of days, but, as the result of a letter she received this morning, it seems not unlikely that her visit will be prolonged.” “With all my heart I hope it may,” said Everard. There was a fervour in his voice, and a fire in his eyes, which brought back the glow to Ethel’s cheeks and recalled, as though they related to an event of yesterday, every word and look of Lisle at that interview on her birthday, when he pleaded his suit with so much earnestness, but pleaded in vain. Well, Everard Lisle was not like some people. Her heart whispered to her: “He loves you still. You are as dear to him at this moment as you ever were.” She did not speak, but turned away her head and gazed across the park. “And now I must leave you—for the present,” said Everard. “I have my morning’s work to attend to, and Sir Gilbert likes punctuality in others if he does not always practise it himself. I often lunch and dine at the Chase. Let us hope that the presence of Lady Pell will not have the effect of depriving me of a privilege which I never valued so highly as I do at this moment.” He smiled, lifted his hat, and went his way. CHAPTER XXXI. LUIGI’S ESCAPADE Mr. Kinaby’s dog-cart, now that the land-steward himself was almost wholly confined to the house, was at the service of Everard Lisle, and he generally made use of it, if the weather happened to be bad, when he was invited to dine at the Chase, thereby saving himself a long wet tramp there and back through the park. To-day the fine forenoon had degenerated into a wet evening, and when Lisle had given his horse and trap into charge of the stable help and, after divesting himself of his wet mackintosh, had made his way to the drawing-room, he found there the Baronet, Lady Pell and Miss Thursby. Sir Gilbert, in his abrupt fashion, at once proceeded to introduce him to the ladies. After bowing to her ladyship, Everard held out his hand to Ethel, saying as he did so: “I have had the pleasure of meeting Miss Thursby on more than one occasion before to-day; in point of fact, we happen to come from the same town, St. Oswyth’s.”