"Your letter to Master Skyffington, Sir Marmaduke," replied the young
man, "will you be pleased to sign it?"

"Will it not keep?" said Sir Marmaduke.

"Yes, an you wish it, Sir. I fear I have intruded. I did not know you
were busy."

The young man had a harsh voice, and a strange brusqueness of manner
which somehow suggested rebellion against the existing conditions of
life. He no longer looked at Lady Sue now, but straight at Sir
Marmaduke, speaking the brief apology between his teeth, without opening
his mouth, as if the words hurt him when they passed his lips.

"You had best speak to Master Skyffington himself about the business,"
rejoined Sir Marmaduke, not heeding the mumbled apology, "he will be
here anon."

He turned abruptly away, and the young man once more left to himself,
silently and mechanically moved again in the direction of the house.

"You will join us in a bowl of sack-posset, Master Lambert," said
Mistress de Chavasse, striving to be amiable.

"You are very kind," he said none too genially, "in about half-an-hour
if you will allow me. There is another letter yet to write."

No one had taken much notice of him. Even in these days when kingship
and House of Lords were abolished, the sense of social inequality