'Oh, yes; and Silverbridge and Lord Gerald. And the Duchess used
to drive. One of us would always be with her.'

'And so you became intimate with the whole family?'

'So I became intimate with the whole family.'

'And especially so with Lady Mary?' This she said in her sweetest
possible tone, and with a most gracious smile.

'Especially so with Lady Mary,' he replied.

'It will be very good of you, Mr Tregear, if you endure and
forgive all this cross-questioning from me, who am a perfect
stranger to you.'

'But you are not a perfect stranger to her.'

'That is it, of course. Now, if you will allow me, I will explain
to you exactly what my footing with her is. When the Duchess
returned, and when I found her to be so ill, as she passed through
London, I went down with her into the country,--quite as a matter
of course.'

'So I understand.'

'And there she died,--in my arms. I will not try to harass you by
telling you what those few days were; how absolutely he was struck
to the ground, how terrible was the grief of the daughter, how the
boys were astonished by the feeling of their loss. After a few