“My dear child,” he said, “there is nothing in knowledge so beautiful as that flower. By the bye,” he added, raising his voice to Saton, who was just ahead, “I thought you were going to London to-day.”
“I have put off my visit until to-morrow,” Saton answered. “Your wife has been kind enough to ask me to dine.”
Rochester nodded. He carefully avoided endorsing the invitation.
“By the bye,” he remarked, “we had the pleasure of directing a lady in distress to your house this morning.”
Saton paused for a moment before he answered.
“I am very much obliged to you,” he said.
He offered no explanation. Rochester, with a little shrug of the shoulders, rejoined Pauline. Lady Mary was called away to receive some visitors, and for the first time Lois and Saton were alone.
“Mr. Rochester has taken a dislike to me,” he said quietly.
Lois was distressed.