the chairs were deep and had high massive backs, and there were queer
shelves and cabinets with strange, pretty ornaments on them. There was
a great tiger-skin before the fire, and an arm-chair on each side of it.
The stately white cat had responded to Lord Fauntleroy's stroking and
followed him downstairs, and when he threw himself down upon the rug,
she curled herself up grandly beside him as if she intended to make
friends. Cedric was so pleased that he put his head down by hers, and
lay stroking her, not noticing what his mother and Mr. Havisham were
saying.

They were, indeed, speaking in a rather low tone. Mrs. Errol looked a
little pale and agitated.

"He need not go to-night?" she said. "He will stay with me to-night?"

"Yes," answered Mr. Havisham in the same low tone; "it will not be
necessary for him to go to-night. I myself will go to the Castle as soon
as we have dined, and inform the Earl of our arrival."

Mrs. Errol glanced down at Cedric. He was lying in a graceful, careless
attitude upon the black-and-yellow skin; the fire shone on his handsome,
flushed little face, and on the tumbled, curly hair spread out on the
rug; the big cat was purring in drowsy content,--she liked the caressing
touch of the kind little hand on her fur.

Mrs. Errol smiled faintly.

"His lordship does not know all that he is taking from me," she said
rather sadly. Then she looked at the lawyer. "Will you tell him, if you
please," she said, "that I should rather not have the money?"