"Mr. Creswell? About fifty-five, I should think."
"Ah, poor man! poor man!" said Lady Caroline, with much greater expression of pity for Mr. Creswell than when she first heard of Tom's death. "You have written to Miss Ashurst, informing her of this proposition, you say, Mr. Joyce?"
"Yes, I wrote directly the offer assumed a tangible form."
"And as yet you have not had her reply?"
"No; there has not been time. I only wrote yesterday; she will not get the letter until to-morrow."
"True, a two days' post from here to--where she is staying. Then you will look for her answer on Wednesday. Are you entirely depending on Miss Ashurst's reply?"
"I scarcely understand you, Lady Caroline."
"I mean, you are waiting until you hear from Miss Ashurst before you send your acceptance of this offer? Exactly so! But--suppose Miss Ashurst thought it unadvisable for her to leave this place where she is staying just now----"
"That is an impossible supposition."
"Well, then, put it that her mother's health--which you told me was ailing--was such as to prevent her from undertaking so long and serious a journey, and that she thought it her duty to remain by her mother----"