ate on Beaumere.

No; no one was allowed to skate on Beaumere. The springs rendered the
ice treacherous.

Silence.

Captain Pratt turned the gold knob of his stick slowly in his thick,
white fingers. He looked carefully at Lady Newhaven, as a connoisseur
with intent to buy looks at a piece of valuable china. She was
accustomed to being looked at, but there was something in Captain
Pratt's prolonged scrutiny which filled her with vague alarm. She
writhed under it. He observed her uneasiness, but he did not remove his
eyes.

Were the boys well?

They were quite well, thanks. She was cowed.

Were they fond of skating?

Very fond.

Might he suggest that they should come over and skate at Warpington
Towers to-morrow. He himself would be there, and would take charge of
them.

He rose slowly, as one who has made up his mind. Lady Newhaven feared it
would be troubling Captain Pratt too much.

It would be no trouble to Captain Pratt; on the contrary, a pleasure.

His hand was now extended. Lady Newhaven had to put hers into it.

Perhaps next week if the frost held. She tried to withdraw her hand. Oh,
well, then, to-morrow; certainly, to-morrow.

"You may rely on me to take care of them," said Captain Pratt, still
holding her hand. He obliged her to look at him. His hard eyes met her
frightened blue ones. "You may rely on my discretion entirely--in all
matters," he said, meaningly.

Lady Newhaven winced, and her hand trembled violently in his.

He pressed the shrinking little hand, let it go, and went away.

CHAPTER XLVIII

"Le temps apporte, emporte, mais ne rapporte pas."

"May I come in?" said the Bishop, tapping at Hester's door.

"Do come in."

Hester was lying propped up by many cushions on a sofa in the little
sitting-room leading out of her bedroom. She looked a mere shadow in the
fire-light.

She smiled at him mechanically, but her face relapsed at once into the
apathetic expression which sat so ill upon it. Her lustreless eyes fixed
themselves again on the fire.

"And what are you going to do this afternoon?" she said, politely. It
was obvious she did not care what he did.

"I am going to Westhope on business," he said, looking narrowly at her.
It was all very well for Dr. Brown to say she must be roused; but how
were his instructions to be carried out?

"I am a great deal of trouble to you," said Hester. "Could not I be sent
to a home, or a place where you go through a cure