"I should be delighted. May I go, father?" said Kitty.
"Certainly, my love."
"Then will you two gentlemen come into the house?" said Mrs. Aylmer. She nodded to Trevor, who walked off immediately with Kitty. As soon as they got out of ear-shot, Kitty faced her companion.
"I never knew that I should meet you here. I am so glad. I heard from Florence a few days ago; she said you were so good and kind to her when you were in London. I must thank you now in her name."
"I should like to be kind to her, but in reality I was able to do only very little for her," said Trevor. "Does she write often to you? How is she getting on?"
"She seems to me to be getting on in the most wonderful way. She has quite a considerable amount of literary work to do. Two of her stories have already been accepted, and she is asked to do a third, and I have no doubt that other work also will fall in her way. She will now be able to support herself comfortably. I cannot tell you what a relief it is to me."
Trevor smiled.
"She is wonderfully clever and interesting," he said. "I am glad she is your friend. She has talked to me about you and——"
Just at that moment Bertha Keys, having moored her little boat came to meet them.
She came straight up to Kitty and spoke in a defiant voice, and as if she were talking to a perfect stranger.