help doing so. The hand that held them was not visible above the table.
Mr. Murray struggled to keep to the most absolutely business-like and
unemotional side of his professional manner, but his obviously extreme
discomfort was infectious, and Rose's calm of manner was already
disturbed.

"I cannot but think, Lady Rose, that some papers may be forwarded to you
through the War Office." He hesitated. "You had no marriage
settlements?" he then asked abruptly.

"No, there were no settlements," said Rose. She spoke quickly and
nervously. "We did not think them necessary. Sir David offered to make
them, but just then he was ordered abroad and there was very little
time, and my mother and I did not think it of enough importance to make
us delay the wedding. It was shortly after my father's death." She
paused a moment, and then went on, as if speech were a relief.

"You know that, when we married, Sir David had no reason to expect that
he would ever be a rich man. We hardly knew the Steele cousins, and only
had a vague idea that Mr. John Steele had been making money on the
Stock Exchange. When he left his fortune to Sir David, who was his first
cousin, and, in fact, his nearest relation, my mother did ask me if my
husband intended to make his will. More than once after that she tried
to persuade me to speak to him about it, but I disliked the subject too
much."

Mr. Murray looked as if he wished that Lady Rose would go on talking; he
seemed to expect more from her, but, as nothing more came, he made a
great effort and plunged into the subject.