“At Ellerdale Road?” she exclaimed in alarm.
“Yes; why not? Is your aunt such a terrible person?”
“No,” she exclaimed in all seriousness. “Promise me you will not seek me—never.”
“I can scarcely promise that,” I laughed. “But why were you so reluctant to come here again?” I inquired.
“Because I had no desire to cause you any unnecessary worry,” she replied.
“Unnecessary worry? What do you mean?” I asked, puzzled.
But she only laughed, without giving me any satisfactory answer.
“I’m extremely pleased to see you,” I said, and in response to my summons Simes entered with the tea, which she poured out, gracefully handing me my cup.
“I’m of course very pleased to come and see you like this,” she said when my man had gone; “but if my aunt knew, she wouldn’t like it.”
“I suppose she was concerned about you the other night, wasn’t she?”