He stopped short, and turned hesitatingly to his uncle.
“Those two poor girls!” whispered he.
“Who are they?” asked Lord Clanfield, who had seen the two pretty young creatures, but in the excitement had failed to find out who they were.
“His daughters, Candover’s daughters!”
The viscount’s kind face softened sympathetically.
“Dear, dear! Poor things, poor things!” he muttered in reply. “Something must be done for them! Something must be done!”
Gerard went up to the showroom shyly, with a subdued manner, and his uncle followed. The girls looked down and reddened uncomfortably, feeling, poor lassies, all the awkwardness of their position, and unable to keep back their tears.
“Mrs. Angmering,” said Lord Clanfield, taking her hand, as she rose to greet him, and looking kindly into her face, “I’m afraid you’ve had a very hard time of trouble and distress of mind to go through, and I’m heartily sorry I didn’t know earlier what I feel sure of now. You must come back with me at once, with me and Gerard.”
Audrey, grateful, tearful, pressed his hand warmly, but shook her head:—
“You’re very, very kind. But I think I’d rather—now—take these girls with me somewhere, and arrange for their seeing their mother, who’s longing to have them with her again,” said she.