“I—I don’t know,” she said, in a troubled voice.
“His lordship has spoken of you several times, miss,” said the valet, in an earnest tone; “indeed, he has talked of little else since he came home. He is very old, you see——”
Doris’ gentle heart melted at the repetition of this simple formula.
“What shall I do?” she whispered to Lady Despard.
Her ladyship shrugged her shoulders.
“I suppose you had better go. Of course you will go. Why, you know you couldn’t resist an appeal of this kind!”
Doris looked before her with wistful, troubled eyes for a moment or two, then she laid down the work she was engaged on.
“I will come with you,” she said.
When she re-entered the room with her hat and jacket on, she looked round, and taking some flowers from one of the vases, quickly rearranged them, and then said:
“I am ready.”