ne far with her of late. A
white silk shawl covered her dress of green check silk; she wore a shawl
constantly now, having a perpetual tendency to shiver; her handsome
features were white and attenuated, but her eyes were brilliant still,
and her dark hair was dressed in elaborate braids.

"So you have had the doctors here, Maude," he remarked, cheerfully.

She nodded a reply, and began to fidget with the body of her gown. It
seemed that she had to do something or other always to her attire
whenever he spoke to her--which partially took away her attention.

"Sir Alexander tells me they have been recommending you Torbay."

"I am not going to Torbay."

"Oh yes, you are, Maude," he soothingly said. "It will be a change for us
all. The children will benefit by it as much as you, and so shall I."

"I tell you I shall not go to Torbay."

"Would you prefer any other place?"

"I will not go anywhere; I have told them so."

"Then I declare that I'll carry you off by force!" he cried, rather
sharply. "Why do you vex me like this? You know you must go?"

She made no reply. He drew a chair close to her and sat down.

"Maude," he said, speaking all the more gently for his recent outbreak,
"you must be aware that you do not recover as quickly as we could wish--"

"I do not recover at all," she interrupted. "I don't want to recover."

"My dear, how can you talk so? There is nothing the matter with you but
weakness, and that will soon be overcome if you exert yourself."

"No, it won't. I shall not leave home."

"Somewhere you must go, for the workmen are coming into the house; and
for the next two months it will not be habitable."

"Who is bringing them in?" she asked, with flashing eyes.

"You know it was decided long ago that the house should be done up this
summer. It wants it badly enough. Torbay--"

"I will not go to Torbay, Lord Hartledon. If I am to be turned out of
this house, I'll go to the other."

"What other?"

"Hartledon."

"Not to Hartledon," said he, quickly, for his dislike to the place had
grown with time, and the word grated on his ear.

"Then I remain where I am."

"Maude," he resumed in quiet tones, "I will not urge you to try sea-air
for my sake, because you do what you can to show me I am of little moment
to you; but I will say try it for the sake of the children. Surely, they
are dear to you!"

A subdued sound of pain broke from her lips, as if she could not bear to
hear them named.