She hesitated, but only for a moment.
'I wish you to see Mr. Bunce for me. Do you meet him nowadays?'
'Not just now, but I can see him any time.'
'I want to arrange, if possible, to keep his child with me for some time, for a year or more. It is not impossible that her disease might be checked if she lived at Eastbourne, but in London she will very soon die. I should like to see Mr. Bunce myself, and I thought you might be able to arrange for a meeting between us. My idea is this: I shall tell him that the girl can make herself useful in the house, and that I wish to pay her for her services. The money would of course go to him, and he might use it to get help in his home. Bessie, the child, has explained to me all the difficulties in the way of her remaining with me; they are heightened by her father's character, as you can understand. Now do you think he would see me? He might come to my hotel, or he might come here, or if he allows me, I would go to him.'
'I will arrange it, somehow. Trust me, I will arrange it.'
'You should have said that with a wave of the hand, as omnipotent people do on the stage.'
He laughed.
'There is no feeling miserable with you. Have you not something of that mesmeric power which draws one back into health under a touch?'
'Perhaps. A little. My children sometimes show astonishing improvement, when they get fond of me.'
They talked of various things, but no mention was made of the Newthorpes by either.