"How did she come here?"
"When I told her you would not—could not—have her here, she said nothing, but she sought and found a situation here. She has been ill; and she has had no comforts; and I must see her!"
There was a pause. Mrs. Dorriman looked at her brother anxiously. He was evidently thinking over something. At length he broke silence—
"What is the tie between you?" he asked, abruptly. "Has she any of your things in charge?"
"Things!" she said, surprised. "No. Why, poor thing—where could she put them? No, she has no charge of anything; and the tie between us is but the tie of long service and great trustworthiness. You are a rich man, brother, and can command services; but to be poor and to be alone is to know what faithful service given you from affection is."
"That is a high-flown idea," he answered; "that is the sort of thing the doctor said. I never found that sort of service available. I was also to derive much satisfaction from the society of young people. I cannot say that the society of Grace Rivers affords me any satisfaction; I think she is as disagreeable a girl as I ever came across."
"She has all the lessons of life to learn," said Mrs. Dorriman, gently.
"She had better learn them soon," he said, gruffly, "if she intends to remain under my roof."
"If she could marry, and have a home of her own," and Mrs. Dorriman sighed, for this did not always bring happiness.
"And why should she not marry?"