"He is a Lovell. His father and mine were brothers, but his godfather,
old Timothy Durward left him his property on condition that he adopted
the name. Geoffrey Durward has a son called Timothy--after the old man."

"The Durwards have never been here since I came to live with you,"
observed Sara thoughtfully. "Don't you care for him--your cousin, I
mean?"

"Geoffrey? Yes, he's a charming fellow, and he's been a rattling good
soldier--got his D.S.O. in the South African campaign. But he and his
wife--she was a Miss Eden--were stationed in India so many years, I
rather lost touch with them. They came home when the Durward
property fell in to them--about seven or eight years ago. She, I
think"--reminiscently--"was one of the most beautiful women I've ever
seen."

The shadow in Sara's eyes lifted for a moment.

"Is that the reason you've always remained a bachelor?" she asked,
twinkling.

"God bless my soul, no! I never wanted to marry Elisabeth Eden--though
there were plenty of men who did." He regarded Sara with an odd smile.
"Some day, you'll know--why I never wanted to marry Elisabeth."

"Tell me now."

He shook his head.

"No. You'll know soon enough--soon enough."