"
She never looked up; she stood submissive, her eyes fixed on a
little basket of colored wools which hung on her arm. "Thank you,
Lady Janet," she said, faintly. "Thank you, Horace."
Horace placed her arm in his, and led her to the sofa. She
shivered as she took her seat, and looked round her. It was the
first time she had seen the dining-room since the day when she
had found herself face to face with the dead-alive.
"Why do you come here, my love?" asked Lady Janet. "The
drawing-room would have been a warmer and a pleasanter place for
you."
"I saw a carriage at the front door. I was afraid of meeting with
visitors in the drawing-room."
As she made that reply, the servant came in, and announced the
visitors' names. Lady Janet sighed wearily. "I must go and get
rid of them," she said, resigning herself to circumstances. "What
will _you_ do, Grace?"
"I will stay here, if you please."
"I will keep her company," added Horace.
Lady Janet hesitated. She had promised to see her nephew in the
dining-room on his return to the house--and to see him alone.
Would there be time enough to get rid of the visitors and to
establish her adopted daughter in the empty drawing-room before
Julian appeared? It was ten minutes' walk to the lodge, and he
had to make the gate-keeper understand his instructions.
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