"It is just the question I have been asking myself," said Katherine, quietly. "For even if dear old Mr. Newton succeeds in softening George Liddell, and he forgives me the outlay of what was certainly his money, the little that belongs to myself I shall want for my nephews."

"And pray is their mother to contribute nothing toward the maintenance of her children?" asked Miss Payne, severely.

"Poor Ada! she has nothing of her own; it will be desperately hard on her;" and Katherine sighed deeply. Her hearers little knew the remorse that afflicted her as she reflected on the false position into which she had drawn her sister-in-law. What a rage Colonel Ormonde would be in!

How unwisely audacious it was in any mere mortal to play Providence for herself or her fellows! But Miss Payne was speaking:

"I don't see the hardship; she has a husband behind her--a rich man too."

"For herself it is all well enough, but it must be very hard to think that one's children are a burden on a reluctant husband; besides, the boys will feel it cruelly. Oh, if I can only keep them with me!"

"I understand you," cried Bertie. "Would to G.o.d you could lay your burden at His feet who alone can help in time of need. If you could----"

He was interrupted by Francois, who brought a letter just arrived by the last post.

"It is from Mr. Newton," exclaimed Katherine, opening it eagerly. And having read it rapidly, she added, "You would like to hear what he says."

"'MY DEAR MISS LIDDELL,--As I cannot see you early to-morrow I will send you a report. I had a long argument with your cousin after you left to-day, and although he is still in an unreasonable state of irritation against you and myself and every one, I do not despair of bringing him to a better and a juster frame of mind. For the present it would be as well you did not meet. I should advise your taking steps at once to remove your nephews from Sandbourne, and also, while you have money pay the quarter in advance, as you do not know how matters may turn. It was a most fortunate circ.u.mstance that the house occupied by Miss Trant was purchased in her name, as Mr. Liddell cannot touch that, and if she is at all the woman you suppose her to be, she will pay you interest for your money. If you could only persuade your cousin to let you see and make friends with this little daughter of his--_there_ lies the road to his heart.

"'Meanwhile say as little as possible to any one about this sudden change in your fortunes. To Miss Payne you must, of course, explain matters; but she is a sensible, prudent woman.

"'With sincere sympathy, believe me yours most truly, "'W. NEWTON.'"

"There is a gleam of hope, then," exclaimed Bertie.

"I don't know what you mean about hope. At best a drop from about two thousand a year to a hundred and fifty is not a subject for congratulation.--Well, Katherine, you are most welcome to stay here as my guest till you find something to do, for find something you must."

"I knew you would be kind and true," said Katherine, her voice a little tremulous, "and believe me I will not sit with folded hands."

CHAPTER XXV.

"BREAD CAST ON THE WATERS."

There were indeed long and heavy days for Katherine, few though they were, before Mr. Newton thought it well to communicate the intelligence to Colonel and Mrs. Ormonde. He wished to be able to extract some more favorable terms from Liddell, so that his favorite client might fulfil her ardent desire to keep her nephews still with her, and a.s.sist in their maintenance and education. This was, in the shrewd old lawyer's estimation, a most Quixotic project, but he saw it was the only idea which enabled her to bear the extreme distress caused by the prospect of returning the poor children on their mother's hands.

A period of uncertainty is always trying, and the reflection that the present crisis was the result of her unfortunate infringement of the unalterable law of right and wrong overwhelmed her with a sense of guilt. Had she not meddled with the matter, no doubt such a man as Errington would, were the case properly represented to him, have given some portion of the wealth bequeathed him to the family of the testator.

But how could she have foreseen? True; but she might have resisted the temptation to deviate from the straight path. "She might!" What an abyss of endless regret yawns at the sound of those words, used in the sense of too late!

This was a hard worldly trouble over which she could not weep. Over and over again she told herself that nothing should part her from the boys, that she would devote her life to repair as far as possible the injury she had done them. And Ada, would she also suffer for her (Katherine's) sins? But while brooding constantly on these miserable thoughts she kept a brave front, quiet and steady, though Miss Payne saw that her composure hid a good deal of suffering.

It was more, however, than Katherine's resolution could accomplish to keep a few evening engagements which she had made. "I should feel too great an impostor," she said. "How thankful I shall be when the murder is out and the nine days' wonder over! Have you any commissions, dear Miss Payne? I want an object to take me out, and I feel I must not mope in-doors."

"No, I cannot say I have any shopping to do, and I am obliged to go into the City myself. Take a steady round of Kensington Gardens; it is quite mild and bright to-day. I shall not return till six, I am afraid."

So Katherine went out alone immediately after luncheon, before the world and his wife had time to get abroad. She had made a circuit of the ornamental water, and was returning by the footpath near the sunk fence which separates the Gardens from the Park, when she recognized De Burgh coming toward her. He had been in her thoughts at the moment; for, feeling that it was quite likely he had been considered a suitor, she was anxious to give him an opportunity of making an honorable retreat before society found out that the sceptre of wealth had slipped from her hand.

"Pray is this the way you cure a cold?" he asked, abruptly. "Last night Lady Mary Vincent informed me that you had staid at home to nurse a cold. This morning I call to enquire for the interesting invalid, and find she is out in the cool February air."

"It is very mild, and it is at night the air is dangerous," returned Katherine, smiling.

"Now I look at you, I don't think you look so blooming as usual. May I go back with you and pay my visit of condolence, in spite of having left my card?"

"Yes," said Katherine, with sudden decision. "I want to speak to you."

"Indeed!"--with a keen, eager look. "This is something new. May I ask--"

"No; not until we are in Miss Payne's drawing-room."

"You alarm me. Could it be possible that you, peerless as you are, have got into a sc.r.a.pe?"

"Well, I think I can say I have," said Katherine, smiling.

"Great heavens! this is delightful."

"Let us talk of something else."

"By all means. Will you hear some gossip? I don't often retail any, but I fancy you'll be amused and interested to know that Lady Alice Mordaunt is really going to marry that brewer fellow. You remember I told you what I thought was going on last autumn."

"Is it possible?" cried Katherine. "Imagine her so soon forgetting Mr.

Errington!"

"And why should not that immaculate individual be exempt from the usual fate of man?"

"I don't know--except that he is not an ordinary man."

"No; certainly not. He is an extraordinary fellow; but I must say he has shown great staying power in his late difficulties. They tell me he has been revenging himself by writing awful problems, political and critical, which require a forty-horse intellectual power to understand."

And De Burgh talked on, seeing that his companion was disinclined to speak until they reached Miss Payne's house.

Katherine took off her hat and warm cloak with some deliberation, thinking how best to approach her subject. Pushing back her hair, which had become somewhat disordered from its own weight, she sat down on an ottoman, and raising her eyes to De Burgh, who stood on the hearth-rug, said, slowly, "I have a secret to tell you which you must keep for a few weeks."

"For an eternity, if you will trust me," he returned, in low, earnest tones, his dark eyes fixed upon her, as if trying to read her heart.

"Well, then, my uncle's son and heir, whom we believed to be dead, has suddenly reappeared, and of course takes the fortune I have been, let us _say_, enjoying."

De Burgh did not reply at once; his eyes continued to search her face as if to discover some hidden meaning.

"Do you mean me to take you seriously, Miss Liddell?"

"Quite. Moreover, I fear my cousin means to demand the arrears of income--income which I have spent."

"But the fellow must be an impostor. Your man of business, Newton, will never yield to his demands. He must prove his case."

"I think he has proved it. Mr. Newton recognized him at the first glance; and he bears a strong resemblance to his father. I feel he is the man he a.s.serts himself to be."