My questions evidently offended her; they were received in sulky silence.

Under these circumstances, well knowing that I can trust implicitly to your humane sympathy for misfortune, I have decided (after careful reflection) to insure the poor creature's safety when she arrives in London by giving her a letter to you.

You will hear what she says, and you will be better able to discover than I am whether she really has any claim on Lady Janet Roy.
One last word of information, which it may be necessary to add, and I shall close this inordinately long letter.

At my first interview with her I abstained, as I have already told you, from irritating her by any inquiries on the subject of her name.

On this second occasion, however, I decided on putting the question.'" As he read those last words, Julian became aware of a sudden movement on the part of his aunt.