her at the
Willoughbys'."

"So I did! Yes. That's all right. I'm glad you had company. I
suppose I _shall_ be moving on one of these days. I say, mother, what
about tea?"

Claire shut the door softly, and turned back into the room. Erskine's
voice had sounded absolutely normal and unmoved: judging by it no one
could have imagined that Miss Gifford's presence or absence afforded him
the slightest interest, and yet, and yet, the mysterious inner voice was
speaking again, declaring that it was not the wet weather which had
driven him back ... that he had hurried home because he knew, he knew--

In ten minutes' time tea would be served. Claire did not change her
dress or make any alteration in her simple attire, her energies during
those few minutes were chiefly devoted to cooling her flushed cheeks,
and when the gong sounded she ran downstairs, letters in hand, and
evinced a politely impersonal surprise at the sight of Captain Erskine
and his friend.

Mrs Fanshawe's eyes followed the girl's movements with a keen scrutiny.
It seemed to her that Claire's indifference was a trifle overdone:
Erskine also was unnaturally composed. Under ordinary circumstances
such a meeting would have called forth a frank, natural pleasure. She
set her lips, and determined to leave nothing to chance.

CHAPTER TWENTY.

THE FLOWERY WAY.

Only a few hours before her son's unexpected arrival, Mrs Fanshawe had
warmly pressed Claire to extend her visit to a fortnight at least, and
Claire had happily agreed. Mrs Fanshawe recalled the incident as she
poured out tea, and rated herself for her imprudence, but the deed was
done; there was the girl, looking pretty enough to turn any young man's
head, and there, alas! was Erskine, who should, by all the laws of what
was right and proper, be even now making love to Janet Willoughby in
Scotland! Janet was rich, Janet was well born, Janet was amiable and
easily led, for years past Mrs Fanshawe had set her heart on Janet as a
daughter-in-law, and she was not easily turned from her purpose.
Throughout that first afternoon her thoughts were busily engaged
planning ahead, striving to arrange the days to the hindrance of
dangerous _tete-a-tetes_, Erskine appeared to have returned in ignorance
of Miss Gifford's presence. Mrs Fanshawe had been careful to avoid all
reference to the girl in her letters, and was unable to think how the
information could have leaked out, nevertheless the choice o