De Stancy sat down in the stuffy drawing-room, and wondered what other ironies time had in store for him.
A waiter in the interim had announced Somerset to the group upstairs.
Paula started as much as Charlotte at hearing the name, and Abner Power stared at them both.
'If Mr.Somerset wishes to see me ON BUSINESS, show him in,' said Paula.
In a few seconds the door was thrown open for Somerset.

On receipt of the pointed message he guessed that a change had come.

Time, absence, ambition, her uncle's influence, and a new wooer, seemed to account sufficiently well for that change, and he accepted his fate.

But a stoical instinct to show her that he could regard vicissitudes with the equanimity that became a man; a desire to ease her mind of any fear she might entertain that his connection with her past would render him troublesome in future, induced him to accept her permission, and see the act to the end.
'How do you do, Mr.Somerset ?' said Abner Power, with sardonic geniality: he had been far enough about the world not to be greatly concerned at Somerset's apparent failing, particularly when it helped to reduce him from the rank of lover to his niece to that of professional adviser.
Miss De Stancy faltered a welcome as weak as that of the Maid of Neidpath, and Paula said coldly, 'We are rather surprised to see you.
Perhaps there is something urgent at the castle which makes it necessary for you to call ?' 'There is something a little urgent,' said Somerset slowly, as he approached her; 'and you have judged rightly that it is the cause of my call.' He sat down near her chair as he spoke, put down his hat, and drew a note-book from his pocket with a despairing sang froid that was far more perfect than had been Paula's demeanour just before.
'Perhaps you would like to talk over the business with Mr.Somerset alone ?' murmured Charlotte to Miss Power, hardly knowing what she said.
'O no,' said Paula, 'I think not.

Is it necessary ?' she said, turning to him.
'Not in the least,' replied he, bestowing a penetrating glance upon his questioner's face, which seemed however to produce no effect; and turning towards Charlotte, he added, 'You will have the goodness, I am sure, Miss De Stancy, to excuse the jargon of professional details.' He spread some tracings on the table, and pointed out certain modified features to Paula, commenting as he went on, and exchanging occasionally a few words on the subject with Mr.Abner Power by the distant window.
In this architectural dialogue over his sketches, Somerset's head and Paula's became unavoidably very close.