The Real Charlotte. 257 



acute awakening to her absence that, for the time, almost 

 obliterated his own figure, posing to the world as an interest- 

 ing young man, who, while anxious to observe the decencies 

 of bereavement, could not be expected to be mconsolable 

 for a woman so obviously beneath his level. 



A voice downstairs called his name, a woman's voice, 

 saying, "Roderick!" and for a moment a superstitious 

 thrill ran through him. Then he heard a footstep in the 

 pas.sa2;e, and the voice called him again, " Are you there, 

 Roderick?" 



This time he recognised Charlotte Mullen's voice, and 

 went out on to the landing to meet her. The first thing 

 that he noticed was that she was dressed in new clothes, 

 black and glossy and well made. He took them in with the 

 glance that had to be responsive as well as observant, as 

 Charlotte advanced upon him, and, taking his hand in both 

 hers, shook it long and silently. 



"Well, Roderick," she said at length, "I'm glad to see 

 you back again, though it's a sad home-coming for you and 

 for us all." 



Lambert pressed her large well-known hand, while his 

 eyes rested solemnly upon her face. " Thank you, Char- 

 lotte, I'm very much obliged to you for coming over to see 

 me this way, but it's no more than what I'd have expected 

 of you." 



He had an ancient confidence in Charlotte and an ease 

 in her society — after all, there are very few men who will 

 not find some saving grace in a woman whose affections 

 they believe to be given to them — and he was truly glad to 

 see her at this juncture. She was exactly the person that he 

 wanted to help him in the direful task that he had yet to 

 perform ; her capable hands should undertake all the 

 necessary ransacking of boxes and wardrobes, while he sat 

 and looked on at what was really much more a woman's 

 work than a man's. These thoughts passed through his 

 mind while he and Charlotte exchanged conventionalities 

 suitable to the occasion, and spoke of Mrs. Lambert as 

 " she," without mentioning her name. 



*' Would you like to come downstairs, Charlotte, and sit 

 in the drawing-room?" he said, presently; "if it wasn't 

 that I'm afraid you might be tired after your walk, I'd ask 



R 



