"N—no, sir," he faltered; "I told Betty, and we decided it would be better not to say anything to mother about it. You see, she'd be so very sorry not to be able to let me have the lessons."
"And have you no relations who could afford to help you—no uncles or aunts, for instance?"
Jack shook his head.
"We haven't any relations at all," he said mournfully, "only an uncle in England, and we don't know him."
"Don't know him, eh; but your mother knows him, doesn't she?"
"Oh, yes, at least she used to; he's her brother, you know, but we've never seen him, and mother doesn't like to have us talk much about him, because it makes her sad."
"What is your uncle's name?" Lord Carresford spoke quickly, and there was a kind of suppressed excitement in his manner, which surprised Jack very much.
"His name is Mr. John Stanhope," said Jack proudly; "I am named for him. My grandfather was General Stanhope, and we have another uncle, who is a—but, oh, I forgot; mother said we mustn't talk about him."
Lord Carresford rose hurriedly. He had suddenly grown very pale.
"Is your mother at home now?" he asked in a voice so odd and unsteady that Jack stared at him in growing bewilderment.