"No apologies are needed, Kelvin--none whatever," said Sir Thomas. "I am entirely at your service."
Kelvin bowed.
"At my recommendation, Sir Thomas," he said, "you, a little while ago, took into your service the gentleman who is now sitting there."
"Pomeroy, you mean. To be sure--to be sure. And a very useful fellow I've found him. I'm your debtor for recommending him to me, Kelvin."
"When I asked you to take him into your service, sir, I did not know one thing about him that I know now."
"Ay--ay--what is that? Can't know anything bad of Pomeroy. Good fellow, very."
"My dear! such remarks may be a little premature," interposed her ladyship gently.
"From something that came to my knowledge only a few hours ago, I have discovered that Mr. Pomeroy's chief motive in desiring to enter your service, was that he might have an opportunity of being near Miss Lloyd, and of thereby winning her affections and inducing her to become his wife."
"Bless my heart! I would never have believed that of Pomeroy--never!"
Again Kelvin looked fixedly at Olive but she still kept her eyes turned persistently from him. She was stupefied. How had all this knowledge come to him--first the knowledge of Gerald Warburton's letter, and now of the secret arrangement between Pomeroy and herself? Had that still darker secret come to his knowledge likewise?