'I don't know. She didn't wear colours, I noticed; perhaps it was a
fashionable sort of mourning. We talked about all sorts of things; I
soon made myself quite at home. And at last she began to explain.
She was a friend of mother's, years and years ago, and father was
the cause of their parting, a quarrel about something, she didn't
say exactly what. And it had suddenly struck her that she would like
to know how we were getting on. Then she asked me to promise that I
would tell no one.'

'She knew about mother's death, I suppose?'

'Oh yes, she knew about that. It happened not very long after the
affair that parted them. She asked a good many questions about you.
And she wanted to know how father had got on in his business.'

'What did you say?'

'Oh, I told her I really didn't know much about it, and she laughed
at that.'

'How long did you stay there?'

'Till about four. But there's something else. Before I went away she
gave me an invitation for next Saturday. She wants me to meet her at
Portland Road Station, and go out to Richmond, and have dinner
there.'

'Shall you go?'

'Well, it's very awkward. I want to go somewhere else on Saturday,