"I'm sure I shall be delighted to hear the first and to give the second--that is, if advice from me would be of any use to you, which I very much doubt." Neither voice nor manner were in the least relaxed, and Lady Caroline's face was very pale, and rather hard and stern. "However," she added, after a moment's pause, finding he did not speak, and in a different tone, "under present circumstances I ought to feel very little compunction in disturbing you, for you go to town on Wednesday, and you know you prophesied for yourself the strictest seclusion when once you arrived at Hetherington House." "That is the very matter on which I wanted to speak to you, Lady Caroline!" "Indeed!" said Lady Caroline, with a rather disappointed air. "I don't suppose that I shall ever set foot inside Hetherington House." "Why, you don't mean to say you have gone back to that originally preposterous notion of remaining here after we have all gone? Do you remember the man who was going to play Othello and blacked himself all over, Mr. Joyce? There is such a thing as overdoing one's devotion to one's duty; or rather, what one imagines one's duty." "No, I certainly do not intend to remain at Westhope." "You are pleased to speak in enigmas to-day, Mr. Joyce, and as I am horridly stupid at such things, and never guessed one of them in my life, I must be content to wait until you are further pleased to explain." There was an impertinence about her ladyship sometimes in look and tone which became her immensely, and was extraordinarily provoking. "Seriously, then, Lady Caroline, I am thinking of leaving my present occupation----" "Of leaving us--I mean Lord Hetherington?" interrupted Lady Caroline. "Yes. Not that I am not, as I ought to be, thoroughly grateful to his lordship and to everybody of his family for their kindness and consideration to me, but the fact is that I have received an offer of employment which, perhaps, will suit me better, and----" "You would be very foolish not to avail yourself of it, then, Mr. Joyce," again interrupted Lady Caroline, the chilling tone coming back to her voice and the stern look to her face. "Will you kindly hear me out?" said Joyce. "I am not exaggerating when I say that I am so grateful for all the kindness which I have received in this house, that nothing would tempt me to leave it that did not give me the chance of being enabled to gratify the one wish of my life. The offer which has been made to me will, I think, do this. You have been good enough, Lady Caroline, to admit me to sufficient intimacy to talk of my private affairs, and when I mention the one wish of my life, you will know that I mean my marriage with Miss Ashurst." "Certainly," said Lady Caroline, full of attention; "and the proposition which is under your consideration--or, rather, which I suppose you have accepted--will enable you to carry out this plan?"