As she spoke, she turned to go to the bell. Richard had tried to interrupt her, but she would not listen. He now assured her that it was his work not his hand that he was thinking of; and said that, if Mr. Lestrange had no objection, he would take a short holiday. “Then you would like to go home!” said her ladyship, thinking it would be so easy then to write and tell him not to come back--if only Arthur could be got to do it. “I should like to go to my grandfather's for a few days,” answered Richard. This was by no means what lady Ann desired, but she did not see how to oppose it. “Well, perhaps you had better go,” she said. “If you please, my lady,” rejoined Richard, “I must see Mr. Lestrange first. I cannot go without his permission.” “I will speak to my son about it,” answered lady Ann, and went away, feeling that Richard would be a dangerous enemy. She did not hate him: she only regarded him as what might possibly prove an adverse force to be encountered and frustrated because of her family, and because of the right way of things--that those, namely, who had nothing should be kept from getting anything. In the meantime the only thing clear was, that he had better be got out of the neighbourhood! It was well sir Wilton had hardly seen the young man: if there was anything about him capable of rousing old memories, it were well it should not have the chance! Sir Wilton was not fond of books, and it could be no great pleasure to him to have the library set to rights; he was annoyed at being kept out of it, for he liked to smoke his cigar there, and shuddered at the presence of a working man except in the open air: she was certain he would feel nowise aggrieved if the design were abandoned midway! The only person she feared would oppose Tuke's departure, was Arthur. CHAPTER XXXVIII. _RICHARD AND ARTHUR_.