“Thank God! He was always kind to me, and I could not bear to think that he was in my cousin’s confidence. He wanted me to marry Adrian, but he thought that I was free.”
“He is going out of business, and I have arranged with him to transfer your affairs to a firm that manages the Harrow Fell estates. When we go to England——”
“When will that be?” asked Joy quickly.
Roger Bracknell smiled. “There is no hurry. I thought I might winter up here—that is if you are agreeable.”
She looked at him reproachfully. “You know——”
“Wait! You have not heard everything, Joy! Down the river I passed the missionary priest, Father Doherty. He is going North—racing the winter. He knows he has already lost the race, and that he will have to finish his journey on the ice. I ventured to persuade him to break the journey at the Lodge, and he agreed to do so. It was very audacious of me——”
“Why should it be audacious? Travellers are always welcome at North Star.”
“Well,” he answered smilingly, “he is a priest you know.”
For a couple of seconds she looked at him wonderingly, then comprehension came to her, and a blush mantled her face.
“It was very audacious of you,” she said. “Very! But—but——”