She did not wish him to see the expression of this feeling in her face, so she rose abruptly and turned from him. As if he understood her, he rose also, and crossed the room to the desk at which she had been seated on his entrance.
Here were heaped papers and memoranda connected with the Kingdon Hall estates. Evidently he recognized their character, for he said:
"At least you have not refused to give me the help that I asked. I've been talking to Kirke, and he tells me you have been taking an interest in the affairs of the tenants. Thank you for this."
In an instant the bitterness in Bettina's heart was changed into a new and softer emotion. She saw the opportunity of effecting now what she had been so powerless to effect in the past. Forgetting everything else, she came quickly to his side and took up one of the papers. This was in her own handwriting, and was a memorandum of some length. She held it away from him a moment, her face flushing, and a look of hesitation showing on it.
"I never intended that you should see this," she said. "I began it long ago, and had to put it by; but recently I have taken it up again, without really knowing why, except that all my whole heart was in it."
"What is it?" he asked. "I beg you to let me see it."
"No," she said. "It is not my affair, and I must remember that. It concerns some most deplorable facts which I have discovered concerning the management of the Kingdon Hall estates, but--"
"Then it is my affair," he interrupted her; "and since you know what these abuses are, and have looked into them, you surely will not deprive me of the help that you could give. I ask it as a favor."
Still Bettina hesitated, but he could see that she was longing to comply. He could imagine, also, what it was that held her back.
"Not as a favor to me," he hastened to add; "I appeal to you in the name of these poor tenants, who have been so long neglected and abused. This is no new thing to me. I have seen it going on from the time I was a boy here, and I can truly say that almost the only pleasure that I have looked forward to in succeeding to the estates has been the righting of these wrongs. Surely you will not refuse to help me to do this."
For answer, Bettina turned upon him a pair of ardent eyes that swam with tears.