"The matter of his attachment," he went on, "is known to me; it has
given me acute anxiety, knowing his lordship as I do, and having
heard him say something singular when he was here in July. I should be
grateful if you would assure--me that there is to be no hitch in his
career, my lady."
The expression on Lady Casterley's face was strangely compounded of
surprise, kindliness, defence, and impatience as with a child.
"Not if I can prevent it, Clifton," she said shortly; "in fact, you need
not concern yourself."
Clifton bowed.
"Excuse me mentioning it, my lady;" a quiver ran over his face between
its long white whiskers, "but his young lordship's career is more to me
than my own."
When he had left her, Lady Casterley sat down in a little low
chair--long she sat there by the empty hearth, till the daylight, was
all gone.
CHAPTER XX
Not far from the dark-haloed indeterminate limbo where dwelt that
bugbear of Charles Courtier, the great Half-Truth Authority, he
himself had a couple of rooms at fifteen shillings a week. Their chief
attraction was that the great Half-Truth Liberty had recommended them.
They tied him to nothing, and were ever at his disposal when he was in
London; for his landlady, though not bound by agreement so to do, let
them in such a way, that she could turn anyone else out at a week's
notice.
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