"
"Lady Kirton is in an awful fright," said Val, in an amused tone.
"Oh, I have heard of it," cried Anne, clasping her hands in laughter.
"She is burning tar outside the house; and she spoke to Mr. Hillary this
morning through the window muffled up in a cloak and respirator. What a
strange old thing she is!"
Val shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think she means badly _au fond_; and
she has no home, poor creature."
"Is that why she remains at Hartledon?"
"I suppose so. Reigning at Hartledon must be something like a glimpse of
Paradise to her. She won't quit it in a hurry."
"I wonder you like to have her there."
"I know I shall never have courage to tell her to go," was the candid and
characteristic answer. "I was afraid of her as a boy, and I'm not sure
but I'm afraid of her still."
"I don't like her--I don't like either of them," said Anne in a low tone.
"Don't you like Maude?"
"No. I am sure she is not true. To my mind there is something very false
about them both."
"I think you are wrong, Anne; certainly as regards Maude."
Miss Ashton did not press her opinion: they were his relatives. "But I
should have pitied poor Edward had he lived and married her," she said,
following out her thoughts.
"I was mistaken when I thought Maude cared for Edward," observed Lord
Hartledon. "I'm sure I did think it. I used to tell Edward so; but a day
or two after he died I found I was wrong.
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