"Not Lord Harry?" Iris exclaimed.
The outbreak of agitation in her tone and manner was silently noticed
by her maid. The housekeeper did not attempt to conceal the impression
that had been produced upon her. "I hope you don't know such a vagabond
as that?" she said very seriously. "Perhaps you are thinking of his
brother--the eldest son--a respectable man, as I have been told?"
Miss Henley passed over these questions without notice. Urged by the
interest in her lover, which was now more than ever an interest beyond
her control, she said: "Is Lord Harry in danger, on account of his
friend?"
"He has nothing to fear from the wretches who infest our part of the
country," Mrs. Lewson replied. "Report says he's one of themselves. The
police--there's what his young lordship has to be afraid of, if all's
true that is said about him. Anyhow, when he paid his visit to my
master, he came secretly like a thief in the night. And I heard Mr.
Arthur, while they were together here in the parlour, loud in blaming
him for something that he had done. No more, Miss, of Lord Harry! I
have something particular to say to you. Suppose I promise to make you
comfortable--will you please wait here till to-morrow, and see Mr.
Arthur and speak to him? If there's a person living who can persuade
him to take better care of himself, I do believe it will be you."
Iris readily consented to wait for Arthur Mountjoy's return. Left
together, while Mrs. Lewson was attending to her domestic duties, the
mistress noticed an appearance of pre-occupation in the maid's face.
"Are you beginning to wish, Rhoda," she said, "that I had not brought
you to this strange place, among these wild people?"
The maid was a quiet amiable girl, evidently in delicate health. She
smiled faintly. "I was thinking, Miss, of another nobleman besides the
one Mrs. Lewson mentioned just now, who seems to have led a reckless
life. It was printed in a newspaper that I read before we left London."
"Was his name mentioned?" Iris asked.
"No, Miss; I suppose they were afraid of giving offence. He tried so
many strange ways of getting a living--it was almost like reading a
story-book."
The suppression of the name suggested a suspicion from which Iris
recoiled. Was it possible that her maid could be ignorantly alluding to
Lord Harry?
"Do you remember this hero's adventures?" she said.
"I can try, Miss, if you wish to hear about him."