I was forgiven only on the understanding that I
came here and made my peace with you. Have I made peace? Do you
understand what I mean? That I withdraw my opposition, and if you
accept my boy, you shall have nothing to fear. I'll make you welcome;
and I'll be as good to you as it's in my nature to be. I'll treat you
with every courtesy. Upon my word, my dear, as mothers-in-law go, I
think you would come off pretty well!"

"I--I--I'm sure--You're very kind..." Claire stammered in helpless
embarrassment; and Mrs Fanshawe, watching her, first smiled, then
sighed, and said in a quick low voice--

"Ah, my dear, you can afford to be generous! If you live to be my age,
and have a son of your own, whom you have loved, and cherished, and
mothered for over thirty years, and at the end he speaks harshly to you
for the sake of a girl whom he has known a few short months, puts her
before you, finds it hard to forgive you because you have wounded her
pride--ah, well, it's hard to bear! I don't want to whine, but--don't
make it more difficult for me than you can help! I have apologised.
Now it's for you--"

Claire put both arms round the erect figure, and rested her head on the
folds of the black satin cloak. Neither spoke, but Mrs Fanshawe lifted
a little lace-edged handkerchief to her eyes, and her shoulders heaved
once and again. Then suddenly she arose and walked towards the door.

"The car is waiting. Don't come with me, my dear. I'll see you again."

She waived Claire back in the old imperious way against which there was
no appeal. Evidently she wished to be alone, and Claire re-seated
herself on the sofa, flushed, trembling, so shaken out of her bearings
that it was difficult to keep hold of connected thought. The impossible
had happened. In the course of a few short minutes difficulties which
had seemed insurmountable had been swept from her path. Within her
grasp was happiness so great, so dazzling that the very thought of it
took away her breath.

Her eyes fell on the watch at her wrist. Ten minutes to four! Twenty
minutes ago--barely twenty minutes--at the end of the field path she had
looked at that little gold face with a dreamy indifference, wondering
only how many minutes remained to be whiled away before it was time for
tea. Even a solitary tea-drinking had seemed an epoch in the uneventful
day. Uneventful! Claire mentally repeated the word, the while her eyes
glowed, and her heart beat in