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"I could not do that," Maria
Carlton's hand, resting on his knee, clenched into a fist, as if he were trying to keep it from making a gesture foreign to his will.
"Something must be decided before the day comes," he said. "I ca
"Which of the doctor's theories do you follow?" Maria
She thought Carlton flushed faintly at the reference to his fumbling at her skirt, but in the dim light it was hard to tell. Certainly his voice held no trace of embarrassment as he replied, "I have as yet reached no conclusion. But I am working on the problem, make no mistake about that."
Maria
Carlton said no more, and when they reached the castle he went off with only a brusque nod of farewell. Maria
"You were a very long time," he remarked. "I've been waiting for hours."
"You have no business being here at all," Maria
"I did knock."
Maria
"I'm sorry." The apology, which she had not expected, and the ingratiating tone, warned Maria
"Yes, but this is Sunday."
"Please. You said you would."
Maria
After all, she told herself recklessly, I am probably doomed to Hell anyway. What does one more small sin matter?
"Very well. Wait outside for me while I change."
Henry obeyed so promptly and with such a beaming face that she realized what a nice boy he could be, under the right circumstances. She put on her oldest gown, suspecting it would probably sustain some damage.
The dress was certainly not improved by the activities of the succeeding hours. First she was taken to admire Henry's new velocipede, which he was allowed to ride indoors on wet days. The old castle had plenty of abandoned corridors suitable to this exercise, and it amused Maria
"I really think," she said, dismounting, "that I had better go and see if the Duchess needs me for anything."
"Oh, not yet!" Henry snatched her hand. "There are lots of things we haven't played. I want to show you my room."
Maria
They climbed the endless flights of stairs that led to the upper regions, where the young were tucked away in the pious hope that they would be neither seen nor heard. It occurred to Maria
Henry showed off his rooms with pardonable pride. They contained every comfort, and most of the luxuries, that money could provide. The night nursery was a cozy little chamber with a quaint turreted roof, hung all around with tapestries to keep off the chill. The former day nursery, which Henry preferred to call his schoolroom, had a pair of desks and a bookcase in one corner, but playroom might have been a better term, for the rest of the long, lofty chamber was crowded with an assortment of expensive toys, including the latest mechanical windup trains and fire engines. A huge wooden Noah's Ark contained almost as many pairs of animals as the original must have done; and Maria
Maria
"What do you want?" Henry demanded. "We are busy. Go away."
"I am sorry to interrupt Your Grace in such an edifying Sunday activity," said Victor, with a sneer. "But Miss Ransom is wanted."
"I want her!"
"Sure, and you'll not be the only one! I was referring," Victor explained, smirking at Maria
"Certainly not," Maria
Henry's sulky look was replaced by a smile. "No, they won't."
"We shall see. Thank you for letting me come."
She walked straight toward Victor, whose outstretched arm barred the door. At the last possible moment he stepped aside and followed her out into the hall.
"Will you not wait a tiny little minute? It's wanting to speak with you I am."
"I have nothing to say to you," Maria
"Have you not then? Yet we could be the best of friends, I'm thinking; having so much in common, one might say."
Trotting along beside her he put out his hand with what he obviously believed to be an ingratiating smile.
"We have nothing whatever in common," Maria
Victor looked as if he might have said more, but Maria
Once she was out of sight, she paused for a few moments to compose herself, since she did not want the Duchess to ask the cause of her flushed lace. She was half tempted to carry out her threat of telling Carlton. Surely the tutor was not the right person to be in charge of a boy like Henry. Yet she hesitated to complain of him. It seemed so mean-spirited.
When she reached the Duchess's room she found Dr. Gruffstone pacing along the corridor, glancing impatiently at his watch.
"Is something wrong?" Maria