'He seems very far from happy just now,' was my answer: 'he looks worn and thin, as though he were overworking himself. I asked him the other night what ailed him. Are you cold, Miss Hamilton? I thought you shivered just now.'
'No, no,' she returned, a little impatiently: 'you were speaking of your uncle.'
'Yes. I could not get him to tell me what was the matter; he began to joke: you know his way; men are so tiresome sometimes.'
'It is not always easy to understand them,' she said, turning away her face: 'perhaps they do not wish to be understood. It must be a great comfort to Mr. Cunliffe to have you so near him. I have thought lately that he has seemed a little lonely.'
'But he comes here very often,' I said, rather quickly; 'he need not be dull, with so many friends.'
To my surprise, Miss Hamilton's fair face flushed almost painfully.
'He does not come so often as he used; perhaps he finds us a little too quiet. I am sorry for Giles's sake—oh yes, I do not mean that,' as I looked at her rather reproachfully. 'Of course we all like Mr. Cunliffe.'
I was about to reply to this, when Miss Hamilton suddenly grew a little restless, and the next moment the door-bell sounded.
I rose at once. 'They have come back from church. I will bid you good-bye now.' And, as I expected, she made no effort to keep me.
'You will come again,' she said, kissing me affectionately. 'I have so enjoyed our little talk; you have done me good, indeed you have, Ursula,' watching me from the threshold. I knew I could not escape my fate, so I walked downstairs as coolly as I could, and encountered them all in the hall. Miss Darrell gave a little shriek when she saw me.