"Yes; it was quite feudal!" Helen broke in. "I felt that we were back at least as far as the eleventh century. The splash of water--which you can hear when the lake is rough--must be quite like the lap of water in a moat. But I did not hear the clank of arms."
"No," I observed dryly. "Ijima wears blue serge and carries a gun that would shoot clear through a crusader. The gardener is a Scotchman, and his dialect would kill a horse."
Miss Pat paused behind us to deliberate upon a new species of hollyhock whose minarets rose level with her kind, gentle eyes. Something had been in my mind, and I took this opportunity to speak to Helen.
"Why don't you avert danger and avoid an ugly catastrophe by confessing to Miss Pat that your duty and sympathy lie with your father? It would save a lot of trouble in the end."
The flame leaped into Helen's face as she turned to me.
"I don't know what you mean! I have never been spoken to by any one so outrageously!" She glanced hurriedly over her shoulder. "My position is hard enough; it is difficult enough, without this. I thought you wished to help us."
I stared at her; she was drifting out of my reckoning, and leading me into uncharted seas.
"Do you mean to tell me that you have not talked with your father--that you have not seen him here?" I besought.
"Yes; I have seen him--once, and it was by accident. It was quite by accident."
"Then you have been spying upon me, Mr. Donovan!"
"Why did you tell me that outrageously foolish tale about your chess game, when I knew exactly where you were at the very hour you would have had me think you were dutifully engaged with your aunt? It seems to me, my dear Miss Holbrook, that that is not so easy of explanation, even to my poor wits."
"That was without purpose; really it was! I was restless and weary from so much confinement; you can't know how dreary these late years have been for us--for me--and I wished just once to be free. I went for a long walk into the country. And if you saw me, if you watched me--"
I gazed at her blankly. The thing could not have been better done on the stage; but Miss Pat was walking toward us, and I put an end to the talk.
"I came upon him by accident--I had no idea he was here," she persisted.