"I must confess I
find it difficult to judge her fairly. She's so different from my own
girls."
Ashe hastily agreed. Then it struck him as odd that he should have
fallen so quickly into this position of Kitty's defender with her
father's family; and he drew in his horns. He resumed his work, and Lady
Grosville sat for a while, her hands in her lap, quietly observing him.
At last she said:
"So you think, William, I had better leave Kitty alone?"
"About what?" Ashe raised his curly head with a laugh. "Don't put too
much responsibility on me. I know nothing about young ladies."
"I don't know that I do--much," said Lady Grosville, candidly. "My own
daughters are so exceptional."
Ashe held his peace. Distant cousins as they were, he hardly knew the
Grosville girls apart, and had never yet grasped any reason why he
should.
"At any rate, I see clearly," said Lady Grosville, after another pause,
"that you're very sorry for Kitty. Of course, it's very nice of you, and
I find it's what most people feel."
"Hang it! dear Lady Grosville, why shouldn't they?" said Ashe, turning
round on his chair. "If ever there was a forlorn little person on earth,
I thought Lady Kitty was that person at lunch to-day.
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