"But you have never given her any love?"
"No, I couldn't give her that.—Do you blame me?"
"No; you have done your whole duty by her. May I suggest that when you leave her you still make your home with us here in Flamsted? You have no other home, my child."
"No, I have no other home," she repeated mechanically.
"I know, at least, two that are open to you at any time you choose to avail yourself of their hospitality. Mrs. Caukins would be so glad to have you both for her daughters' sake and her own. The Colonel desires this as much as she does and—" he hesitated a moment, "now that Romanzo has his position in the New York office, and has married and settled there, there could be no objection so far as I can see."
There was no response.
"But if you do not care to consider that, there is another. About seven months ago, Mrs. Googe—"
"Mrs. Googe?"
She turned to him a face from which every particle of color had faded.
"Yes, Mrs. Googe. She would have spoken to you herself long before this, but, you know, Aileen, how she would feel in the circumstances—she would not think of suggesting your coming to her from Mrs. Champney. I feel sure she is waiting for you to take the initiative."