. He had a book open before him, and only now and then
swallowed a bit of the unsavoury morsels provided, and preserved a
haughty silence when Mrs Symes questioned him as to any of the gossip
current in Bristol.

Presently she pushed back her chair, and before departing to the back
kitchen with Sam she placed, with rather a bad grace, a rolling pin and
flour and butter on a board at a side-table, some apples and a jar of
raisins and spice and coarse sugar, saying,--

'Will that suit your fine cookery, miss? Lor' bless me, I could die of
laughing to think a pair of hands like yours could make better paste
than mine! You'd best be careful or you'll catch it. If ever there was a
fidget about his food it's Master Lambert. Come, now, Tom, I am going to
clear away, so you must budge. Why, you've left half your victuals on
the platter. I'll feed the cat with them.'

Chatterton now looked up from his book, and said,--

'You're welcome, or rather the cat is welcome.'

He had an hour allowed for his dinner, and was not due at the office
again till one o'clock, when Mr Lambert left it to return to Dowry
Square for his midday repast at half-past one.

Chatterton rose as he spoke, and sat down on a stool by the fire, his
book still in his hand.

But he was not reading now, he was watching the lithe, graceful figure
at the side-table.

Bryda had rolled up her short sleeves above the elbow, and her pretty
rounded arms were seen to advantage as she mixed the flour and kneaded
it, and then passed the rolling pin lightly over it.

She was conscious of Chatterton's presence, but her back was turned to
him.

Presently she turned her head, and saw a pair of extraordinary eyes
fixed on her. It was not an impertinent gaze like that of Squire
Bayfield's, it was simply one of almost wistful earnestness.

'I am wondering, miss,' he began, 'what made you come to this hole?'

'I came because I am poor, and wish to help them at home.'

Chatterton's eyes flashed.

'_Poor!_ Aye, to be poor is a curse.'

'No,' Bryda said, 'it need not be a curse.'

Then she went on with her rolling and kneading. Presently she said
again,--

'Are you a lawyer, sir?'

'A lawyer's apprentice, worse luck.'

'I have a question about law to ask Mr Lambert and I am afraid to
approach him.'

'I don't wonder. Well, what is the question?'

'If a person promised to pay back a debt, and put his hand to a bond,
and the man to whom he owed the money died