“There is nothing to prevent you from burning that here in my library, if you choose. In this box are your certificates of birth and baptism, with your mother’s marriage papers, so that your identity can easily be established with my help. What do you say, my dear?”
“I will take your advice in everything,” Muriel said, faintly. “You have been so kind——”
“Pish! my dear. Had it not been for the expense of having three sons and two daughters to educate, Mrs. Gascoigne and I would have taken you in here. They are all out in the world now, and there is nothing to prevent your making this your home, if you would like it.”
“There is no question of liking, dear Mr. Gascoigne; I could not be such a burden to you. I have thought of using my voice——”
“As a singer? You will require at least a year’s more training. Although Mr. Oateson has given you invaluable help, he has not been in London for years, and the competition is so great that you would stand little chance at present, free as your voice is; and then, it will be very uphill work, my child.”
The old lawyer watched the girl as she looked into the fire, her pale, delicately-cut profile standing out against the dark marble background of the mantel-piece.
“As a child, you played with the boys, and with them you were a general favourite. You liked them all?”
“Ah! how could I help it?” she said, impulsively. “And Kitty and Madge were so sweet with me; they were my only friends, for I felt instinctively that Mrs. Erskine did not wish me to go to the Rectory, and so I kept aloof from Ethel and Dick.”
“If they were not so scattered about the world, Kitty and Madge would have had you to visit them; but India and Canada are so far off. Reginald is coming here for a few weeks before he goes to Melbourne to join his brother. You know that Robert is married out there?”
“Yes. I hope he is as happy as Henry is with his wife.”