'Not by anything here, Mr Wentworth.'
'I beg your pardon;' gravely. Then, with the abruptness of friendship, he presently added: 'Did Trafford give you the Westminster? The paper I marked ought to interest you.'
'No; he forgot, I suppose.'
'Oh, I see. I must be my own messenger next time, or—employ Becky. You shewed some discrimination in giving her a step in life.'
'Becky! Do you know her?'
'A little.'
'Please do not be mysterious.'
'I made her acquaintance when—— You do not think I was so inhuman as to let you go that day without keeping you in sight, in order to make sure you came to no harm. And—— Well, I did not feel quite sure about you, so kept about the place until I came upon Becky; and we two struck up a friendship.'
'It was good of you.'
'Was it? I am too much accustomed to analyse motives to be quite sure about that.'