"Kitty!" he said, eagerly. Then, in a soberer tone: "I beg your pardon,
Mrs. Luttrell, I have just been calling at Netherglen and heard that you
were ill."

"I am not ill, but I do not see visitors," said Kitty, in a constrained
voice. "I wanted to speak to you; I saw you from the garden. I thought I
should never make you hear."

"Will you wait one moment until I get down from my high perch? Fane will
help me; I feel rather helpless at present."

"Can you turn back with me for a few minutes?"

"Certainly."

They walked for a few steps side by side, he with his hand resting on
her arm for the sake of guidance. The soft spring breezes played upon
their faces; the scent of wild flowers came to their nostrils, the song
of building birds to their ears. But they noted none of these things.

Vivian stopped short at last, and spoke authoritatively.

"Now, Kitty, what does this mean? Why can you not see your brother and
me when we call upon you?"

"My husband does not wish it," she said, faintly.

"Why not?"

"I don't know." Then, in a more decided tone: "He likes to thwart my
wishes, that is all."

"That was why you warned Angela not to answer your letter?"

"Yes." Then, under her breath:--"I was afraid."

"But, my child, what are you afraid of?"

She uttered a short, stifled sob.

"I can't tell you," she said.

"Surely," said Rupert, "he would not hurt you?"

"No," she said, "perhaps not. I do not know."

There was a dreariness in her tone which went to Rupert's heart.

"Take courage," he said. "Brian and Elizabeth will be in Dunmuir
to-night. Shall they come to see you?"

"Oh, yes, yes, yes!" cried Kitty. "Let them come at once--at once, tell
them. You will see them, will you not?" She had forgotten Rupert's
blindness. "If they come, I shall be prevented from meeting them,
perhaps; I know I shall not be allowed to talk to them alone. Tell Mr.
Luttrell to come and live at Netherglen. Tell him to turn us out. I
shall be thankful to him all my life if he turns us out. I want to go!"

"You want to leave Netherglen?"

"Yes, yes, as quick as possible. Tell him that Mrs. Luttrell wants
him--that she is sorry for having been so harsh to him. I know it. I can
see it in her eyes. I tell her everything that I hear about him, and I
know she likes it. She is pleased that he has married Elizabeth. Tell
him to come to-night."

"To-night?" said Rupert. He began to fear that her troubles had affected
her brain