ed, darting a quick,
uneasy look at me. I knew what he was thinking: Miss Darrell's speech,
that Miss Garston always excited Gladys, must have come into his mind.

'If the nurse deserves blame she will take it meekly,' I replied. 'I know
I was wrong to let her talk so much. I must enforce extra quiet to-day.'
And then he said no more. I do not think he found it easy to give me the
scolding that I deserved. And, after all, I had owned my fault.

I had just gone out in the passage an hour later, to carry away a bowl of
carnations that Gladys found too strong in the room, when I heard Uncle
Max's voice in the hall. The front door was open, and he had entered
without ringing. I was glad of this. The door of the turret-room was
closed, and Gladys would not hear his voice. I should manage to slip
down without her noticing the fact.

So I busied myself in Lady Betty's room until I heard the drawing-room
door open and close again, and I knew Miss Darrell was coming in search
of me. I went out to meet her, with Gladys's empty luncheon-tray in my
hands. I thought she looked rather cross and put out, as though her
interview with Uncle Max had disappointed her.

'Mr. Cunliffe is in the drawing-room, and he would like to speak to you
for a moment.' she said, in a voice that showed me how unwilling she was
to bring me the message. 'I told him that you never cared to be disturbed
in the morning, as you were so busy; but he was peremptory.'

'I am never too busy to see Uncle Max: he knows that,' I returned
quickly. 'Will you kindly allow me a few moments alone with him?' for she
was actually preparing to follow me, but after this request she retired
sulkily into her own room.

I found Max standing in the middle of the room, looking anxiously towards
the door: the moment it closed behind me he put a thick white envelope in
my hand.

'There it is, Ursula,' he said nervously: 'will you give it to her as
soon as possible? I have been literally on thorns the last quarter of an
hour. Miss Darrell would not take any of my hints that I wished to see
you: so I was obliged at last to say that I could not wait another
moment, and that I must ask her to fetch you at once.'

'Poor Max! I can imagine your feelings; but I have it safe here,' tapping
my apron pocket. 'But you must not go just yet.' And I beckoned him
across the room to the window that overlooked a stiff prickly shrub.

He looked at me in some surprise. 'We are alone, Ursula.'