"That makes me angry, too," answered Nesta. "Though I confess I ought to be angry with myself for not giving stricter orders. I left the house about two--he came about three, and asked to see my mother's maid, Esther Mawson. He told her that it was absolutely necessary for him to see my mother on business, and she told my mother he was there. My mother consented to see him--and he was taken up. And as I say, I found her ill--and frightened--and that's not the worst of it!" "What is the worst of it?" asked Collingwood, anxiously. "Better tell me!--I may be able to do something." "The worst of it," she said, "is just this--my mother won't tell me what that man came about! She flatly refuses to tell me anything! She will only say that it was business of her own. She won't trust me with it, you see!--her own daughter! What business can that man have with her?--or she with him? Eldrick & Pascoe are not our solicitors! There's some secret and----" "Will you answer one or two questions?" said Collingwood quietly. He had never seen Nesta angry before, and he now realized that she had certain possibilities of temper and determination which would be formidable when roused. "First of all, is that maid you speak of, Esther Mawson, reliable?" "I don't know!" answered Nesta. "My mother has had her two years--she's a Barford woman. Sometimes I think she's sly and cunning. But I've given her such strict orders now that she'll never dare to let any one see my mother again without my consent." "The other question's this," said Collingwood. "Have you any idea, any suspicion of why Pratt wanted to see your mother?" "Not unless it was about that stewardship," replied Nesta. "But--how could that frighten her? Besides, all that's over. Normandale is mine!--and if I have a steward, or an estate agent, I shall see to the appointment myself. No!--I do not know why he should have come here! But--there's some mystery. The curious thing is----" "What?" asked Collingwood, as she paused. "Why," she said, shaking her head wonderingly, "that I'm absolutely certain that my mother never even knew this man Pratt--I don't I think she even knew his name--until quite recently. I know when she got to know him, too. It was just about the time that you first called here--at the time of Mr. Bartle's death. Our butler told me this morning that Pratt came here late one evening--just about that time!--and asked to see my mother, and was with her for some time in the study. Oh! what is it all about?--and why doesn't she tell me?" Collingwood stood silently staring out of the window. At the time of Antony Bartle's death? An evening visit?--evidently of a secret nature. And why paid to Mrs. Mallathorpe at that particular time? He suddenly turned to Nesta. "What do you wish me to do?" he asked. "Will you speak to Mr. Eldrick?" she said. "Tell him that his clerk must not call upon, or attempt to see, my mother. I will not have it!"