"I have no idea yet. Go into business, I suppose; but it does not matter about me, if only I could have spared you this awful shock."
"Oh! Please don't think of me," she said, smiling again, though there were tears in her eyes. "I am young and strong and can easily find something to do. Oh! Something is sure to turn up. It is only mother I was thinking of; but I know she will be helped. Please don't trouble about us; it is quite hard enough for you."
"Now, how shall I tell your mother, Miss Douglas?"
"Would it help you if I told her?"
"It would help me very much, but I'm afraid I can't let you do that; you see, I promised my father on his death-bed that I would tell Mrs. Douglas myself."
"Did you? Oh, then you ought to do it, of course."
"When do you think I had better come?"
"Do you mind coming after tea? Leila will have gone to bed then, and I think it would be better for her not to be there. You see, she's a great invalid; but she always goes to bed when little Carl does."
"Shall we say half-past seven, then?"
"Yes, that will do very well. No one will be there but ourselves. Louis comes in most evenings, but he won't come to-night, as he is only just home from Penrith. But won't you come to tea? I'm so sorry, I ought to have asked you before."