“I did not know any one was here,” she went on, with an instinct of apology, “I had not heard the bell ring.”
“I am exceedingly sorry for interrupting you,” said the young man as he came forward, “but I could hardly help myself. I promised to see you personally to give you a message from Lady Hebe. I have been telling Mrs Derwent about it, but I know it would be a satisfaction to Hebe to hear that I had seen you, yourself.”
Blanche looked perplexed, and glancing at her mother’s face, she saw that it was unusually grave.
“Is there anything the matter?” she said quickly.
“Yes,” said Mrs Derwent. “You will be very sorry for poor Lady Hebe. A great trouble has come upon her.”
“Has anything happened to Mr Milward?” asked Blanche, and somehow Archie felt pleased that this was her first idea.
“No,” he answered. “Norman is all right. The trouble has come to Hebe herself, though, of course, it is terrible for him too.”
And then he went on to give the details of the grievous loss with which the young girl was threatened.
Blanche’s face grew graver and graver as he spoke. “Oh dear!” she exclaimed, when he had finished. “How dreadfully sad! Those pretty, happy eyes of hers. I can’t believe it. May I write to her, Mr Dunstan, do you think? I do feel so inexpressibly sorry for her. Mamma, our troubles don’t seem much in comparison with this, do they?”
“No, indeed,” Mrs Derwent agreed heartily. “But still it is not hopeless by any means, is it, Mr Dunstan?”