"I fear the last is highly improbable; but Katherine will certainly fulfil her promise."
"I am going to drive over to Legrave Crescent myself: if it would suit Miss Liddell to accompany me, I shall be most happy to be her escort."
"My brother-in-law will not imagine there is any collusion between you?" asked Mrs. Liddell, with a smile. "Men of his character are suspicious."
"No; I think I may venture so far, though Mr. Liddell _is_ suspicious."
"Then I must ask you to wait while I put on my hat," said Katherine, and left the room.
She had changed her dress when her mother followed her. "My love, you had better take a few shillings, and try and come back soon. Why, Katie, considering you had to do cooking yesterday, you ought not to have put on your best frock, dear, for I see little chance of another."
"Oh, mother, I could _not_ go out in my old black cashmere with Mr. Newton. Why, he is the perfection of neatness."
"What a volley of questions she will ask! Now, mother, do _not_ satisfy her. Tell her my rich uncle has sent his solicitor to interview us, and that I am going to dine with him. I wish I could have had some dinner before I went, for I am going to Hungry Hall."
"Courage, darling! If we _can_ get this loan it will be a great relief. Do not keep him waiting any longer--there are your gloves. Come back as soon as ever you can."
"Where in the world is Katherine going, and who is that man?" exclaimed the younger widow, her light blue eyes wide open in amazement, when Katherine had passed her with a smiling "Good-by for the present," and walked down the road beside the precise lawyer.
"She is going-to her uncle, Mr. John Liddell, who expressed a wish to see her to-day, and that gentleman is Mr. Liddell's solicitor," returned the elder lady, smiling to think how soon she had been driven in upon the reserved force of her daughter's suggestion.
"What! that terrible old miser poor Fred used to talk of? Why, he will take a favorable turn, and leave everything to Katie! Oh, dear Mrs. Liddell, that will not be fair. _Do_ contrive to let him see Cis and Charlie. We will declare that Cecil is his very image. Old men like to be considered like pretty young creatures. I always get on with crabbed old men. Let _me_ see him too. Katherine must not keep the game all in her own hands. Let me have a chance."