Little Vixen ran out to Barbara, and made herself less unpleasant than usual: the monkey was preparing her, by what blandishment she was mistress of, to receive a complaint against the man in the library which would injure him in her favour. Might Vixen but see motion and commotion, turmoil and passion around her, she did not care how it arose, or which of the persons involved got the worse in it. She accompanied Barbara to the stable, and as they walked back together, gave her such an account of what had taken place, that Barbara, distrusting the child, yet felt anxious. She knew the spirit of Richard, knew that he would never show her ladyship the false respect a tradesman too often shows, and feared lest he should have to leave the house. She must give lady Ann the opportunity of saying what she might please on the matter! It must be remembered that Barbara was under no pledge of secrecy to Alice or any one; she was free to do what might seem for the best--that is, for the good of Richard. It was the part of every neighbour to take care of a blind man, particularly when there was special ground for caution unknown to him. “I am sorry to find you so poorly, dear lady Ann,” she said, with her quick sympathy for suffering. Vixen had told her that the horrid man had made her mamma quite ill; and Barbara found her with her boudoir darkened, and a cup of green tea on a Japanese table by the side of the couch on which she lay. “It is only one of my headaches, child!” returned lady Ann. “Do not let it disturb you.” “I am afraid, from what Victoria tells me, that something must have occurred to annoy you seriously!” “Nothing at all worth mentioning. He is an odd person, that workman of yours!” “He is peculiar,” granted Barbara, doubtful of her own honesty because of the different sense in which she used the word from that in which it would be taken; “but I am certain he would not willingly vex any one.” “Children will be troublesome!” drawled her ladyship. “Particularly Victoria,” returned Barbara. “Mr. Tuke cannot bear to have his work put in jeopardy!” “Very excusable in him.” Barbara was surprised at her consideration, and thought she must somehow be pleased with Richard. “It would astonish you to hear him talk sometimes,” she said. “There is something remarkable about the young man. He must have a history somewhere!” She had been thinking whether it was fair to sir Wilton and his family to conceal the momentous fact she alone of their friends knew: were they not those, next to Richard himself, most concerned in it? Should lady Ann be allowed to go on regarding the property as the inheritance of her son, when at any instant it might be swept from his hold? Had they not a right to some preparation for the change? If there was another son, and he the heir, ought she not at least to know that there was such a person? She had resolved, that very morning, to give lady Ann a hint of the danger to which she was exposed.