“I see!” he said. “You won’t promise anything. Well, stick to that, and don’t promise.”

“You wouldn’t have me come to you for a new bonnet, would you?”

“By George! shouldn’t I be proud to fetch you the best one in Regent Street!”

“Or saddle the pony for me?”

“Try me. But I trust you to remember there is an old man that loves you, and has more money than he knows what to do with.”

“I think,” said Hester, “that the day is sure to come when I shall ask your help. In the meantime, if it will be any pleasure to you to know it, I trust you heartily. You are all wrong about Lord Gartley, though. He is not what you think him.”

“I sincerely hope you are right, for your sake.”

She gave him her hand. He took it in his own and pressed it to his lips. She did not draw it away, and he felt she trusted him.

Now that the hard duty was done, and if not much good yet no harm had resulted, he went home a more peaceful man. His host congratulated him on looking so much better as a result of his walk, and Hester recounted to her mother their strange conversation.

“Just think, mama,” she said, “he offered me a thousand a year not to marry Lord Gartley!”

“Hester!”

“He does not like the earl, and he does like me. So he wants me not to marry him. That is all!”

“I thought I could have believed anything of him, but this goes almost beyond belief!”

“Why should it, mama? The odd thing is that instead of hating him for it, I like him better than before.”

“Are you sure he has no notion of making room for himself?”

“Quite sure. He said he was old enough to be my grandfather. But you know he is not that!”

“Maybe it is time we knew what Lord Gartley intends,” said her mother in a more serious vein.

“Oh, mama, don’t talk like that!”

“It does sound disagreeable, but I cannot help being anxious about you. If he does not love you, he has no right to court your company so much.”

“I encourage it, mama. I like him.”

“That is what makes me afraid.”

“There will be time enough to think about it if he continues to come and visit now that he has the earldom.”

“Would you like to be a countess, Hester?”

“I would rather not think about it, mother. It may never make any difference whether I like it or not.”

“I can’t help thinking it strange he should be so much with you and never say a word of his intentions.”

“It is no more strange than that I am so often with him, or that you let him come so often to the house.”