At Love's Cost

She looked at the Villa and then at Stafford with renewed interest.

"I suppose your father is _the_ Sir Stephen Orme of whom one has heard

so much? I did not think of it until this moment."

Stafford was giving instructions that the Falconers' carriage should be

seen to, and so was spared a reply. She stood in the hall looking round

with a kind of indolent admiration and surprise, and perfectly

self-possessed, though the hall was rapidly filling with the men from

the garden.

"You would like to go to your rooms at once," said Sir Stephen, in his

serene and courtly voice. "If you should be too tired to come down

again to-night I will have some dinner sent up to you--but I hope you

won't be. It would be a great disappointment."

"Oh, I am not at all tired," said Miss Falconer, as she followed the

housekeeper and the two demure maids up the exquisite staircase.

Sir Stephen looked after them with a bland smile, then he turned to

Stafford and caught his arm.

"Not hurt, my boy?" he said, in a tone of strained anxiety.

Stafford was beginning to get tired of the question, and answered

rather impatiently: "Not in the least sir--why should I be! I'll change

my things and be down in five minutes!"

"Yes, yes!" Sir Stephen still eyed him with barely concealed anxiety.

"Strange coincidence, Stafford! I--I haven't seen Ralph Falconer

for--for--ever so many years! And he is thrown at my very gate! And

they say there is no such thing as Fate--"

"Hadn't you better go into the drawing-room, sir," Stafford reminded

him. "They'll think something has happened."

"Eh? Yes, yes, of course!" said Sir Stephen, with a little start as if

he had been lost in thought; but he waited until he saw Stafford walk

up the stairs, without any sign of a limp, before he followed his son's

advice.

The butler, who was too sharp to need any instructions, quickly served

a choice little dinner for the unexpected guests, and Stafford, who had

waited in the hall, accompanied them into the dining-room. Miss

Falconer had changed her travelling-dress for a rich evening-frock, and

the jewels Stafford had noticed were supplemented by some remarkably

fine diamonds.

"I wish you had come in time for dinner!" he said, as he conducted her

to her seat.

"So do I!" she returned, serenely. "We are giving a great deal of

trouble; and we are keeping you from your guests. The maid who waited

on me told me that you had a large house party."