I am not at all well and I am seriously
worried about -about that young lady. I tell you that I must
have an interview with her. It is not for my sake so much as
hers. She must be warned."
"Warned?" Tavernake repeated. "I really don't understand."
"Of course you don't!" she exclaimed impatiently. "Why should
you understand? I don't want to offend you, Mr. Tavernake," she
went on hurriedly. "I would like to treat you quite frankly. It
really isn't your place to make difficulties like this. What is
this young lady to you that you should presume to consider
yourself her guardian?"
"She is a boarding-house acquaintance," Tavernake confessed,
"nothing more."
"Then why did you tell me, only a moment ago, that she was your
sister?" Mrs. Gardner demanded.
Tavernake threw open the door before which they had been
standing.
"This," he said, "is the famous dancing gallery. Lord Clumber is
quite willing to allow the pictures to remain, and I may tell you
that they are insured for over sixty thousand pounds. There is
no finer dancing room than this in all London."
Her eyes swept around it carelessly.
"I have no doubt," she admitted coldly, "that it is very
beautiful. I prefer to continue our discussion."
"The dining-room," he went on, "is almost as large. Lord Clumber
tells us that he has frequently entertained eighty guests for
dinner. The system of ventilation in this room is, as you see,
entirely modern."
She took him by the arm and led him to a seat at the further end
of the apartment.
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