She nodded, and without raising her eyes, but with a sudden flush. Drake
went across the room to where Lady Angleford and Lady Wolfer were
seated, talking, and the first word he heard was Nell's name.

"Of course it is the same," Lady Wolfer was saying eagerly. "Her brother
was at the engineers, Bardsley & Bardsley! And Nell has been near us all
this time, and in this house, and I didn't know it! If I had, I would
have gone to her at once. She's the dearest and sweetest girl in all the
world, and I owe her----" She stopped and sighed, but not sadly. "She
left us quite suddenly to go to her stepmother, who was a cousin of my
husband's; and I have only seen her once since. They--she and her
brother--were living in one of these large mansions--a dreadfully
crowded and noisy place; but, though they were poor, she seemed quite
happy and contented. I begged her to come and live with me, but she
would not leave her brother--though for that matter we should have been
delighted to have him also, especially if he is anything like her. Oh,
yes, the dearest girl! And you don't know how much I owe her! Some day I
may be tempted to tell you." She sighed again, and was silent for a
moment, as she recalled the scene in her bedroom on the night of the
dinner party, the night before Nell had left Wolfer House so suddenly.
"I must go and see her to-morrow morning. They say she is engaged to the
young man, the violinist."