"Yes; I am painting a picture for the earl."
"For the earl!" he repeated dully, as if her voice, and not the words she said, were of importance to him.
"Yes; if you wish to see him, you will find him at home; he has just left me."
"Just left you!" he repeated as before. "No; I don't want to see him."
Margaret raised her eyes and looked at him.
"You have not come down to see him?" she said with faint surprise.
"No!" he responded. "He wouldn't see me if I had. But I didn't come to see him; I came——" then he stopped for a second. "Miss Margaret, I am afraid to tell you why I came."
"Then don't tell me," said Margaret, trying to force a smile. "It sounds as if you had come for no good purpose, my lord."
He stood silent for a second, then he flung himself at her feet, and leaning on his elbow, looked up at her with the same eager wistfulness in his handsome eyes.