‘You must allow me to have _some_ business of my own.’ ‘Certainly. But with so many anxious friends, you ought to have given a hint of your intentions.’ ‘I had none, however.’ ‘Of which? Friends or intentions?’ ‘Either.’ ‘What! No friends? I verily surprised Miss Pease in the act of studying her “Cookery for Invalids”--in the hope of finding a patient in you, no doubt. She wanted to come and nurse you, but daren’t propose it.’ ‘It was very kind of her.’ ‘No doubt. But then you see she’s ready to commit suicide any day, poor old thing, but for lack of courage!’ ‘It must be dreary for her!’ ‘Dreary! I should poison the old dragon.’ ‘Well, perhaps I had better tell you, for Miss Pease’s sake, who is evidently the only one that cares a straw about _me_ in the matter, that possibly I shall be absent a good many days this week, and perhaps the next too.’ ‘Why, then--if I may ask--Mr Absolute?’ ‘Because a friend of mine is going to pay me a visit. You remember Charley Osborne, don’t you? Of course you do. You remember the ice-cave, I am sure.’ ‘Yes, I do--quite well,’ she answered. I fancied I saw a shadow cross her face. ‘When do you expect him?’ she asked, turning away, and picking a book from the floor. ‘In a week or so, I think. He tells me his mother and sister are coming here on a visit.’ ‘Yes--so I believe--to-morrow, I think. I wonder if I ought to be going. I don’t think I will. I came to please them--at all events not to please myself; but as I find it pleasanter than I expected, I won’t go without a hint and a half at least.’ ‘Why should you? There is plenty of room.’ ‘Yes; but don’t you see?--so many inferiors in the house at once might be too much for Madame Dignity. She finds one quite enough, I suspect.’ ‘You do not mean that she regards the Osbornes as inferiors?’ ‘Not a doubt of it. Never mind. I can take care of myself. Have you any work for me to-day?’ ‘Plenty, if you are in a mood for it.’ ‘I will fetch Miss Brotherton.’ ‘I can do without _her_.’ She went, however, and did not return. As I walked home to dinner, she and Miss Brotherton passed me in the carriage, on their way, as I learned afterwards, to fetch the Osborne ladies from the rectory, some ten miles off. I did not return to Moldwarp Hall, but helped Styles in the lumber-room, which before night we had almost emptied. The next morning I was favoured with a little desultory assistance from the two ladies, but saw nothing of the visitors. In the afternoon, and both the following days, I took my servant with me, who got through more work than the two together, and we advanced it so far that I was able to leave the room next the armoury in the hands of the carpenter and the housemaid, with sufficient directions, and did not return that week. CHAPTER XXXV. A TALK WITH CHARLEY.