"I am not at all tired, Lord Wolfer," said Nell. "I am not used to
traveling--this is the first long journey I have made--but I am
accustomed to riding"--she winced inwardly as she thought of the rides
with Drake--"and--and--sailing and yachting."
The earl nodded.
"Put the--the cutlets, or whatever they are, on the table, and you may
go," he said to the butler; and when the servants had left the room he
said to Nell: "I seldom lunch at home, and I like to do so alone."
Nell smiled. Grave as he looked, she did not feel at all afraid of him.
"I did not mean that," he said, with an answering smile. "I meant
without the servants. And so you have come to our assistance, Miss
Lorton?"
"I don't know whether that is the way to put it," said Nell, with her
usual frankness. "I'm afraid that I shall be of very little use; but I
am going to try."
His lordship nodded.
"And I think you will succeed--let me hand you a cutlet. Our great
trouble has been--may I trouble you for the salt? Perhaps you would
prefer to have the servants in the room?"
"No, oh, no!" replied Nell, quickly, as, reaching to her fullest extent,
she pushed the salt. "It is much nicer without them--I mean that I am
not used to so many servants."
He inclined his head.
"As you please," he said courteously. "Our great trouble has been that
my wife's public duties have prevented her from taking any share in
domestic matters. She is--er--I presume she is not coming in to lunch?"
he asked, with a quick glance at Nell, and an instant return to his
plate.
"N-o; I think not," replied Nell. "Lady Wolfer has gone to a
meeting--I'm sorry to say I forget what it is. Some--some Sisters--no, I
can't remember. It is very stupid of me," she wound up penitently.
"It is of no consequence. Lady Wolfer is greatly in request; there is no
movement of the advanced kind with which she is not connected," said his
lordship; and though he spoke in a tone of pride, he wound up with a
stifled sigh which reminded Nell of the sigh which she had heard Lady
Wolfer breathe. "She is--er--an admirable speaker," he continued, "quite
admirable. Did she go alone?"
The question came so suddenly, so unexpectedly, and apparently so
irrelevantly, that Nell was almost startled.