y to
Miss Power. De Stancy promised to make representations in the proper
quarter without perceiving that he was doing the best possible deed for
himself thereby.

He told Paula of Havill's misfortunes in the presence of his sister,
who turned pale. She discerned how this misfortune would bear upon the
undecided competition.

'Poor man,' murmured Paula. 'He was my father's architect, and somehow
expected, though I did not promise it, the work of rebuilding the
castle.'

Then De Stancy saw Dare's aim in sending him to Miss Power with the
news; and, seeing it, concurred: Somerset was his rival, and all was
fair. 'And is he not to have the work of the castle after expecting it?'
he asked.

Paula was lost in reflection. 'The other architect's design and Mr.
Havill's are exactly equal in merit, and we cannot decide how to give it
to either,' explained Charlotte.

'That is our difficulty,' Paula murmured. 'A bankrupt, and his wife
ill--dear me! I wonder what's the cause.'

'He has borrowed on the expectation of having to execute the castle
works, and now he is unable to meet his liabilities.'

'It is very sad,' said Paula.

'Let me suggest a remedy for this dead-lock,' said De Stancy.

'Do,' said Paula.

'Do the work of building in two halves or sections. Give Havill the
first half, since he is in need; when that is finished the second half
can be given to your London architect. If, as I understand, the plans
are identical, except in ornamental details, there will be no difficulty
about it at all.'

Paula sighed--just a little one; and yet the suggestion seemed to
satisfy her by its reasonableness. She turned sad, wayward, but was
impressed by De Stancy's manner and words. She appeared indeed to have
a smouldering desire to please him. In the afternoon she said to
Charlotte, 'I mean to do as your brother says.'

A note was despatched to Havill that very day, and in an hour the
crestfallen architect presented himself at the castle. Paula instantly
gave him audience, commiserated him, and commissioned him to carry out
a first section of the buildings, comprising work to the extent of about
twenty thousand pounds expenditure; and then, with a prematureness quite
amazing among architects' clients, she handed him over a cheque for five
hundred pounds on account.

When he had gone, Paula's bearing showed some sign of being disquieted
at what she had done; but she covered her mood under a cloak of saucy
serenity.