But Chris was not satisfied, although Mr. Richard himself seemed reconciled to his fate. Then Stelfox went on, exactly as if Mr. Richard had not been present:
“I’ll tell you what you can do, miss, if you feel so sorry for him. Ask him to come back with you to the house and he will do so without any trouble.”
Chris was reluctant to do this for several reasons.
“But he won’t understand,” she said, softly, turning so that Mr. Richard should not hear.
Stelfox’s straight mouth lengthened into a smile.
“Just you try him, miss,” said he.
So Chris turned again to the silent man.
“Will you come back with me to the house?” she asked, with a gesture in the direction of the mansion.
His face lighted up at once, and as Stelfox freed his arm he turned and walked beside her along the path through the meadow. They went in silence, for although Chris was so full of pity and of sympathy that she longed to express her feelings in some way, his silence made intercourse difficult. When they reached the gate into the garden, Stelfox came up to them.
“You had better go on by yourself, miss, now,” said he.