She busied herself at once; poured the hot water; made the tea; stood behind me while I ate and drank. I took pains to do both imperturbably and at length. She never spoke the while. At the end I got up, and pushed the fragments together.
“Now,” I said, “you can have your tea on the scraps, if you like. I am going out.”
I left her seated quietly at the table.
CHAPTER V.
A YOUNG LADY’S CHASTENING—PHASE TWO
She came to the lodge often after that, and amused herself putting the place in order, sometimes while I was present, but more often during my absence. I knew nothing of what was in her mind; but I confess it came, just at first, to give me a sort of gloating satisfaction thus to accept without comment these ministrations of what was intended, I suppose, for imperious beauty’s atonement to the poor beast whom she had wounded herself by insulting. She did not speak much, going about her duties with a young elastic confidence; but a consciousness of unuttered protest over my indifference, of wistful glances and deprecations of my blindness, began soon to grow irksome. She wanted to put herself right with herself, I supposed, rather than with me. I was ready enough to tell her so, yet somehow could never find the words.
One day, on entering my den, I was surprised to encounter the figure of Lord Skene seated therein.
“Where’s Ira?” he asked at once.
“How should I know, sir?” I answered. “She isn’t here.”
“But she comes here at times?” he said.
“That’s her affair. She’s her own mistress, and has told me so. I can’t command even the lodge, it seems.”