She stood beside the bed, her eyes downcast, her face pale now, but an expression on her proud and haughty lips which would have befitted a schoolgirl. "Let me give you some broth. The doctor said you might have it, if you came to." She brought him a cup, but to Derrick's disgust he could not grasp it, and she held it to his lips while he drank. "You're an angel," he said; "yes, an angel. You look pale; you've been nursing me all this time. How long is it?" "Four days," she said, in a low voice. They had been the happiest four days of her life. "Good lord!" he muttered. "Four days! Oh, here, I say, I wish I could thank you properly, but I can't." "There's no need," she said, in a low voice. "I'll go and tell the doctor and Mr. Bloxford." She smoothed the clothes about him, her eyes still downcast, but as she went to the door she turned and looked at him. Derrick met the gaze of the dark eyes full blank, and as he did so the colour rose to his face, and it was his turn for his eyes to become downcast. He had learned her secret, and his heart was heavy within him, for, though they were unlike, the eyes of that other girl, who was always in his thoughts, flitted between him and Isabel. CHAPTER XIII Celia hurried back from Lady Gridborough's, ran up the great stone steps and entered the hall. Catching sight of Mrs. Dexter coming from the dining-room, Celia began, "Oh, Mrs. Dexter, I've had quite an adventure----" But she stopped as she saw that the hitherto placid housekeeper was evidently in a state of agitation, and, instead of continuing, Celia broke off with: "Oh, is anything the matter, Mrs. Dexter?" "Matter! I should think so," responded Mrs. Dexter, throwing out her hand, which grasped a telegram. "I've just had this from his lordship the Marquess, saying that he is coming down. And to dinner! I'm sure I don't know what I'm going to do." "But everything is in readiness?" said Celia, remembering Mrs. Dexter's vaunt. "Of course it is, my dear; but the dinner----! All the staff seems to have lost its head; and I, myself, am so flurried----" Celia laid her hand upon the plump arm and pressed it, encouragingly. "It will be all right," she said, soothingly. "Surely there will be enough in the house for one man!" "My dear young lady," retorted Mrs. Dexter, solemnly, "you have to prepare a regular dinner, with all the proper courses, whether it's for one man or a party. Like enough, his lordship will only partake of one or two dishes, but you have to provide them all, and serve them properly." "I see," said Celia, who was beginning to understand the exigencies of rank. "Can I help you? Surely there must be something I can do!" "Well, you can arrange the flowers for me, if you will be so good, my dear," said Mrs. Dexter. "Mr. Douglas, the head gardener, will cut you some from the conservatory."