“I daresay you are right. But go on with your work. I have heard so much about it from Miss Wylder that I should like to see you at it.”

“I am sorry, my lady, but I shall be fit for next to nothing for a day or two because of this hand. I dare not attempt going on with what I am now doing.”

“Is it very painful? You ought to have it seen to. I will send for Mr. Hurst.”

He assured her that it was the quality of his work he was thinking of, not his hand, and added that, if Mr. Lestrange had no objection, he would take a short holiday.

“Then you would like to go home!” said her ladyship, thinking that it would be easy then to write and tell him not to come back—if only Arthur could be persuaded to do it.

“I would like to go to my grandfather’s for a few days,” answered Richard.

This was by no means what lady Ann desired, but she did not see how to oppose it.

“Well, perhaps you had better go,” she said.

“If you please, my lady,” rejoined Richard, “I must see Mr. Lestrange first. I cannot go without his permission.”

“I will speak to my son about it,” answered lady Ann and went away, feeling that Richard would make a dangerous enemy. She did not hate him, she only regarded him as an adverse force to be encountered.

In the meantime, the only thing clear was that he had better be removed from the neighbourhood. Sir Wilton had hardly seen the young man. If there was anything about him capable of rousing old memories, it was best it should not have the chance. Sir Wilton was not fond of books, and it could be no great pleasure to him to have the library set to rights. As it was, he was annoyed at being kept out of it, for he liked to smoke his cigar there, and shuddered at the presence of a workingman except in the open air. She was certain he would not feel aggrieved if the project were abandoned halfway through. The only person she feared might oppose Tuke’s departure was Arthur.

26. Dismissal

— Twenty-Six —

Dismissal

She went to find her son, told him what had happened to the young man, and proposed to him that he should go to his grandfather’s for a few days.

Send him where he and Barbara would be constantly meeting! thought Arthur. I cannot have him go there! I would rather give up the library altogether! There should be no more bookbinding at Mortgrange, Arthur decided. He would send Richard the books in London. He should have the work all the same, but not at Mortgrange!