– We shall certainly help them… When the right time comes, of course. But I wish to be of some assistance to them immediately.

– Mr. Pilough has written that Walsingham is in urgent need of a new parson, and his arrival must be as soon as possible, for the late Glowford is to be buried according to the laws of Anglicanism. Besides, the Walsingham people are in desperate need of a parson: they are lost without a pastor and church meetings," said the doctor, remembering his friend's message. – Mr. Pilough has also informed Lord Draymore of this, but I am aware that he is not in London at the moment and cannot do his duty regarding the problem.

– You are correctly informed, Mr. Morris: Colin is in Bristol. So, we should approach the head of the church and send a new pastor to Walsingham. But something tells me that a young seminarian, fresh out of the seminary, will be sent to the village. And it is unlikely that the young man in question will be happy to be sent into the wilderness, far from the capital," said the Viscount rightly. – But I will write to the church today. It is long enough since the parson's death, and he must be buried no later than tomorrow evening. I beg your pardon, doctor, I will not delay this important matter. – He rose from the table, his companion did likewise, they shook hands and parted.

Viscount Wilworth kept his word: going up to his study, he wrote the necessary letter and sent it off with a messenger. The answer to the petition came the same evening: the clergy had appointed a new parson, Mr. Litley, to Walsingham, assuring the Viscount that the clergyman would do a good job, and that he was on his way to the village. The Viscount wished to meet in person the person who would replace the late Parson Glowford, but was unable to do so, but he was not dismayed, for he was soon to come to Rivershold and Walsingham himself to visit the Glowford girls and offer his condolences. Viscount was still full of hope that the Count of Draymore would sell his estate to him and waited for a letter or telegram from his friend: it was pointless to go to Walsingham now, when the Glowford girls were in black mourning and could not recover from the loss of their beloved father. Viscount Wilworth himself sent a note to Lord Draymore's mansion, asking for the Earl's address in Bristol, but the messenger returned with the news that the Count had left no address for correspondence, and that the Lord would not return until August.

Not wasting any time, the day after Mr. Morris's visit the Viscount found a well-known Dutch psychiatrist, Mr. Henrik Liabrist, consulted him about Miss Cassandra's illness and inquired as to the possibility of her full or partial recovery. The story of a grown-up girl with the mind and consciousness of a child interested the psychiatrist, and he asked the Viscount to bring her to see him.

– I am sorry, but Miss Glowford is not in London at present, and will not be here for about a month," replied the Viscount.

– 'That's a pity,' he said briefly. – I think I can help the girl.

– Do you think you can overcome her illness? – The Viscount asked: the psychiatrist's words gave him hope.

– Yes, I do. You say her development has been neglected? But can she even read?

– Her father thought it would be a great sin to treat her. He was a very religious man.

– 'That's a dark thing,' Mr. Liabrist grinned at that.

– 'But I suppose she was taught to read: her father was a well-educated and competent man.

– How far from London does your Miss Glowford reside?

– Norfolk. There's a lost village called Walsingham.

– Bring the girl to me and I will examine her.

– I am truly grateful to you for agreeing to help, but I cannot get Miss Glowford to London for the rest of the summer. What if we came to see you in a month or two? The girl's father died the other day, and she is deeply distressed and hard to bear.

– You think rightly, sir: after a heavy loss a man necessarily needs time, but how much, there are many opinions on that. Every man needs the comfort of time as much as his nature compels him, and Miss Glowford's brain is a very fragile one, so there is no hurry to take her to me. But long practice shows that mentally retarded people do not understand all the distress and bitterness of loss," Mr. Liabrist explained gravely to his interlocutor.

– I shall not object, for your knowledge in this field is certainly far superior to mine. Miss Glowford requires special care, and her older sister will probably object to the treatment, and it will take a lot of persuasion to get Miss Cassandra to come with me.

The psychiatrist chuckled and adjusted his glasses.

– This is an extremely interesting case," he said with a slight smile.

"What a cynic!" – The Viscount thought grudgingly, displeased that he had called Cassie's illness an "interesting case."

– I shall be deeply grateful and thankful to you if you will help the girl," said the Viscount, still quite coolly. – I feel madly sorry for her.

– Then, when the time is right, bring her to see me. I will do my best," Mr. Liabrist assured him.

The Viscount thanked him warmly and went home. He decided that his new task was to befriend Cassie and become her friend, to bind her to him so that Miss Catherine would not be able to insist that Cassie could not live a day without her home and sisters. The Viscount knew that his behaviour would not be blameless, but he was moved only by a noble desire to keep Cassie out of his worries and to cure her sick mind of years of fog.