"You know you may. I will answer it if I can."
"What has Mr. Edwin Barley to do with you? Why should he be your enemy?"
"That is what I cannot answer," he quickly rejoined. "He is an implacable enemy to me and my family; and likely ever to remain so. I cannot divest myself of the idea that he was the author of that visit we were favoured with last night by the police. Between the two—him and his wife—we have suffered enough. I should be puzzled to say which of them did us most harm, Miss Hereford."
Miss Hereford! And I was the Barleys' relative! My heart felt sick and faint within me.
"Well, what now?" asked Mr. Chandos, who happened to be looking, and he came up and stood close before me.
"Nothing, sir, nothing; only I cannot help Selina's having been my aunt. Perhaps you will never care to be kind to me again."
His eyes, so grave before, quite danced with their pleasant light. He laid his hand gently on my shoulder.
"Anne, the only kind thought I have had of your aunt Selina is since I knew she was of your kindred. If——"
I pushed his hand away from me. I rose with a vivid blush. Inside the door, having come in so quietly as to be unheard, stood Mrs. Penn, Mr. Chandos turned, a haughty frown on his brow.
"I beg your pardon, madam; do you want anything?"