"Margaret, think of it. How are you to do better?"
"Perhaps not; probably not. In many ways I am sure I could not do better. But it cannot be."
Not then, nor for the next twenty minutes, but at last he took his answer and went. He did this when he found that he had no more minutes to spare if he intended to return by the 5.45 train. Then, with an angry gesture of his head, he left her, and hurried across to the front door. Then, as he went out, Mr John Ball came in.
"Good evening, sir," said Mr Rubb. "I am Mr Samuel Rubb. I have just been seeing Miss Mackenzie, on business. Good evening, sir."
John Ball said never a word, and Samuel Rubb hurried across the grounds to the railway station.
CHAPTER XX
Showing How the Third Lover Behaved
"What has that man been here for?" Those were the first words which Mr Ball spoke to his cousin after shutting the hall-door behind Mr Rubb's back. When the door was closed he turned round and saw Margaret as she was coming out of the dining-room, and in a voice that sounded to her as though he were angry, asked her the above question.
"He came to see me, John," said Miss Mackenzie, going back into the dining-room. "He was my brother's partner."