what on earth's the matter?'
'She can't go on in this way. It's perfectly monstrous. Something must be done immediately.'
Lady Kelsey understood what he was driving at. She knew how great was his love, and she, too, had seen his anger when Lucy danced with Alec MacKenzie. But the whole affair perplexed her utterly. She put down her cup.
'Can't you wait till to-morrow?' she asked nervously.
'I feel it ought to be settled at once.'
'I think you're dreadfully foolish. You know how Lucy resents any interference with her actions.'
'I shall bear her resentment with fortitude,' he said, with great bitterness.
Lady Kelsey looked at him helplessly.
'What do you want me to do?' she asked.
'I want you to be present at our interview.'
He turned to a servant and told him to ask Miss Allerton from Lady Kelsey if she would kindly come to the _boudoir_. He gave his arm to Lady Kelsey, and they went upstairs. In a moment Lucy appeared.
'Did you send for me, my aunt? I'm told you want to speak to me here.'
'I asked Aunt Alice to beg you to come here,' said Boulger. 'I was afraid you wouldn't if I asked you.'
Lucy looked at him with raised eyebrows and answered lightly.
'What nonsense! I'm always delighted to enjoy your society.'
'I wanted to speak to you about something, and I thought Aunt Alice should be present.'
Lucy gave him a quick glance. He met it coolly.
'Is it so important that it can't wait till to-morrow?'
'I venture to think it's very important. And by now everybody has gone.'
'I'm all attention,' she smiled.
Boulger hesitated for a moment, then braced himself for the ordeal.
'I've told you often, Lucy, that I've been desperately in love with you for more years than I can remember,' he said, flushing with nervousness.
'Surely you've not snatched me from my last chance of a cup of soup in order to make me a proposal of marriage?'
'I'm perfectly serious, Lucy.'
'I assure you it doesn't suit you at all,' she smiled.
'The other day I asked you again to marry me, just before Alec MacKenzie came back.'
A softer light came into Lucy's eyes, and the bantering tones fell away from her voice.
'It was very charming of you,' she said gravely. 'You mustn't think that because I laugh at you a little, I'm not very grateful for your affection.'
'You know how long he's cared for you, Lucy,' said Lady Kelsey.
Lucy went up to him and very tenderly placed her hand on his arm.
'I'm immensely touched by your great devotion, Bobbie, and I know that I've done nothing to deserve it. I'm very sorry that I can't give you anything in return. One's not mistress of one's love. I can only hope--with all my heart--that you'll fall in love with some girl who cares for you. You don't know how much I want you to be happy.'
Boulger drew back coldly. He would not allow himself to be touched, though the sweetness of her voice tore his heart-strings.
'Just now it's not my happiness that's concerned,' he said. 'When Alec MacKenzie came back I thought I saw why nothing that I could do, had the power to change the utter indifference with which you looked at me.'
He paused a moment and coughed uneasily.
'I don't know why you think it necessary to say all this,' said Lucy, in a low voice.
'I tried to resign myself. You've always worshipped strength, and I understood that you must think Alec MacKenzie very wonderful. I had little enough to offer you when I compared myself with him. I hoped against hope that you weren't in love with him.'
'Well?'
'Except for that letter in this morning's paper I should never have dared to say anything to you again. But that changes everything.'
He paused once more. Though he tried to seem so calm, his heart was beating furiously. He really loved Lucy with all his soul, and he was doing what seemed to him a plain duty.
'I ask you again if you'll be my wife.'
'I don't understand what you mean,' she said slowly.
'You can't marry Alec MacKenzie now.'
Lucy flung back her head. She grew very pale.
'You have no right to talk to me like this,' she said. 'You really presume too much upon my good nature.'
'I think I have some right. I'm the only man who's related to you at all, and I love you.'
They saw that Lady Kelsey wanted to speak, and Lucy turned round to her.
'I think you should listen to him, Lucy. I'm growing old, and soon you'll be quite alone in the world.'
The simple kindness of her words calmed the passions of the other two, and brought down the conversation to a gentler level.
'I'll try my best to make you a good husband, Lucy,' said Bobbie, very earnestly. 'I don't ask you to care for me; I only want to serve you.'
'I can only repeat that I'm very grateful to you. But I can't marry you, and I shall never marry you.'
Boulger's face grew darker, and he was silent.
'Are you going to continue to know Alec MacKenzie?' he asked at length.
'You have no right to ask me such a question.'
'If you'll take the advice of any unprejudiced person about that letter, you'll find that he'll say the same as I. There can be no shadow of a doubt that the man is guilty of a monstrous crime.'
'I don't care what the evidence is,' said Lucy. 'I know he can't have done a shameful thing.'
'But, good God, have you forgotten that it's your own brother whom he killed!' he cried hotly. 'The whole country is up in arms against him, and you are quite indifferent.'
'Oh, Bobbie, how can you say that?' she wailed, suddenly moved to the very depths of her being. 'How can you be so cruel?'
He went up to her, and they stood face to face. He spoke very quickly, flinging the words at her with indignant anger.
'If you cared for George at all, you must wish to punish the man who caused his death. At least you can't continue to be his'--he stopped as he saw the agony in her eyes, and changed his words--'his greatest friend. It was your doing that George went to Africa at all. The least thing you can do is to take some interest in his death.'
She put up her hands to her eyes, as though to drive away the sight of hateful things.
'Oh, why do you torment me?' she cried pitifully. 'I tell you he isn't guilty.'
'He's refused to answer anyone. I tried to get something out of him, but I couldn't, and I lost my temper. He might give you the truth if you asked him pointblank.'
'I couldn't do that.'
'Why not?'
'It's very strange that he should insist on this silence,' said Lady Kelsey. 'One would have thought if he had nothing to be ashamed of, he'd