Celia agreed with her sister, but she did not say so. The two little girls had been sitting by the fireside, for the April evening was chilly; but now the daylight had nearly faded, and Joy, rising, went to the door and peeped into the passage to make certain that Jane had lit the gas there. Satisfied on that point, she returned to her former seat by the fire, and continued the conversation.
"I wonder if we ought to send Jane to the drawing-room to light the gas?" Celia suggested presently. "But, no, mother would be sure to ring if she wished it. Oh, the gentleman's going at last!"
There was a sound of footsteps in the passage. The front door opened and shut, and the next minute Mrs. Wallis joined her little daughters. She was a tall, stately woman with a pale, handsome face, and hair which was prematurely grey.
"My visitor kept me some time," she remarked, as she seated herself in an easy chair, and glanced from one to the other of the children. "I suppose you have been cogitating about him, and wondering who he could possibly be?"
"Yes," Celia nodded.
"His name is Tillotson, and he is a lawyer. He came to me from my uncle, Sir Jasper Amery, of whom you have often heard me speak."
"What! that funny old uncle you used to visit when you were a little girl?" Joy exclaimed.
"The same, my dear. He used to be very kind to me; but we have never met since my marriage. He had an only son—Edward—of whom he was exceedingly fond and proud; but now, Mr. Tillotson tells me, poor Edward is dead, and that Uncle Jasper is quite alone in the world. He sent Mr. Tillotson to me with a strange request, or so I consider it—a request which I do know if I shall be right in complying with or not."
Mrs. Wallis paused and gazed meditatively the fire. The two young girls waited anxiously for her to proceed, and at last Celia inquired:
"What is the request, mother?"