me.

"I hope," he said, "to interest you in the whole place. I cannot tell
you how different things are when the mistress of the house is ill and
helpless."

"I am sure it must be so," she said, in that sweet voice, which I felt
to be false and hated.

"At any time," he said, "if you see things going wrong I should be
grateful for a little management on your part."

"I will always do my very best for you, Sir Roland," she said,
earnestly, and I could feel in some vague way that she was sympathizing
with him and pitying him in a way that was against my mother's
interests. I could hardly tell how.

"Have you a good housekeeper?" she asked, and my father answered:

"Mrs. Eastwood has been here over fifty years, I believe."

"Ah!" said Miss Reinhart, "that is too long; those very old housekeepers
are faithful, and all that kind of thing, but they are seldom of much
use. If everything does not go on as you wish in this unfortunate state
of things, rely upon it that is what is wrong. You should pension this
good Mrs. Eastwood off, and get some one young and active, with a
thorough knowledge of her business."

"We will talk about it later on," he said. "I have no doubt but that you
are quite right."