"It would be better not. You have them safe here. And—"
Marjorie flushed. She felt that her ruse had been too plain.
"I would sooner you took them," she said. "You can read them at your leisure."
So he accepted, and slipped them into his breast with what seemed to the girl a lamentable carelessness. Then he stood up.
"I must go," he said. "And I have never asked after Mistress Manners."
"She is abed," said the girl. "She has been there this past month now."
She went with him to the door, for it was not until then that she was courageous enough to speak as she had determined.
"Mr. Babington," she said suddenly.
He turned.
"I have been thinking while we talked," she said. "You think my coming to London would be of real service?"