"

"But those feelings, my dear," said Mr Brandon, "if we are to believe
Mrs Keswick's letter, have entirely disappeared."

"It is quite natural that they should do so," said Roberta, "as there is
no longer any reason for them. And there is another thing I want to
impress on your mind, Uncle Robert, you must expect no result from this
visit except a renewal of amity between yourself and Mrs Keswick."

"I understand it perfectly," said the old gentleman, feeling quite
confident that if his family and Mrs Keswick should once again become
friendly, the main object of his desires would not be difficult of
accomplishment. "And now, my dear, I will not detain you any longer. I
hope you may have a very pleasant visit, and I advise you to cultivate
that young Mrs Null, whom I take to be a very sensible and charming
person." And then he kissed her good-bye and shut the carriage door.

It was about the middle of the afternoon when Sam drove through the
outer Keswick gate, and Peggy, who had jumped down to open said gate,
had made herself positively sure that, at present, there was no ghost
sitting upon the post. Before she reached the house, Roberta began to
wonder a good deal if she should find Mrs Keswick the woman she had
pictured in her mind. But when the carriage drew up in front of the
porch there came out to meet her, not the mistress of the estate, but a
much younger lady, who tripped down the steps and reached Roberta as she
descended from the carriage.

"We are very glad to see you, Miss March," she said. "My aunt is not
here just now, but will be back directly."

"This is Mrs Null, isn't it?" said Roberta, and as the other smiled and
answered with a slight flush that it was, Roberta stooped just the
little that was necessary, and kissed her. Mrs Keswick's niece had not
expected so warm a greeting from this lady, to whom she was almost a
stranger, and instantly she said to herself: "In that kiss Freddy dies
to you." For some days she had been turning over and over in her mind
the question whether or not she should tell Roberta March that she was
not Mrs Null. She greatly disliked keeping up the deception where it was
not necessary, and with Roberta, if she would keep the secret, there was
no need of this aerial matrimony. Besides her natural desire to confide
in a person of her own sex and age, she did not wish Mr Croft to be the
only one who shared her secret; and so she had determined that her
decision would dep