From the
end of the room which she could not see, she heard a sound as of someone
kissing something, and instinct had almost made her turn to go away when
the word: "Hallo!" suddenly opened her lips. And almost directly she saw
that Granny and Grandpapa were standing by the fireplace. Not knowing
quite whether they were glad to see her, she went forward and began at
once:
"Is this where you sit, Grandpapa?"
"It is."
"It's nice, isn't it, Granny? Where does the stone staircase go to?"
"To the roof of the tower, Ann."
"Oh! I have to give a message, so I must go now."
"Sorry to lose you."
"Yes; good-bye!"
Hearing the door shut behind her, Lord and Lady Valleys looked at each
other with a dubious smile.
The little interview which she had interrupted, had arisen in this way.
Accustomed to retire to this quiet and homely room, which was not his
official study where he was always liable to the attacks of secretaries,
Lord Valleys had come up here after lunch to smoke and chew the cud of a
worry.
The matter was one in connection with his Pendridny estate, in Cornwall.
It had long agitated both his agent and himself, and had now come to him
for final decision. The question affected two villages to the north of
the property, whose inhabitants were solely dependent on the working of
a large quarry, which had for some time been losing money.
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