; I now remind you that I am your wife: confide in me. I will
be true and loving to you, whatever it may be."

"Not yet; in a little time, perhaps. Bear with me still, my dear wife."

His look was haggard; his voice bore a sound of anguish; he clasped her
hand to pain as he left her. Whatever might be his care, Anne could not
doubt his love.

And as he went into the drawing-room, a smile on his face, chatting with
the curate, laughing with his newly-married wife, both those unsuspicious
visitors could have protested when they went forth, that never was a man
more free from trouble than that affable servant of her Majesty's the
Earl of Hartledon.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

EXPLANATIONS.

A change for the worse occurred in the child, Lord Elster; and after two
or three weeks' sinking he died, and was buried at Hartledon by the side
of his mother. Hartledon's sister quitted Hartledon House for a change;
but the countess-dowager was there still, and disturbed its silence with
moans and impromptu lamentations, especially when going up and down the
staircase and along the corridors.

Mr. Carr, who had come for the funeral, also remained. On the day
following it he and Lord Hartledon were taking a quiet walk together,
when they met Mrs. Gum. Hartledon stopped and spoke to her in his kindly
manner. She was less nervous than she used to be; and she and her husband
were once more at peace in their house.

"I would not presume to say a word of sympathy, my lord," she said,
curtseying, "but we felt it indeed. Jabez was cut up like anything when
he came in yesterday from the funeral."

Val looked at her, a meaning she understood in his earnest eyes. "Yes, it
is hard to part with our children: but when grief is over, we live in the
consolation that they have only gone before us to a better place, where
sin and sorrow are not. We shall join them later."

She went away, tears of joy filling her eyes. _She_ had a son up there,
waiting for _her_; and she knew Lord Hartledon meant her to think of him
when he had so spoken.

"Carr," said Val, "I never told you the finale of that tragedy. George
Gordon of the mutiny, did turn up: he lived and died in England."

"No!"

"He died at Calne. It was that poor woman's son."

Mr. Carr looked round for an explanation. He knew her as the wife of
clerk Gum, and sister to Hartledon's housekeeper. Val told him all, as
the facts had come out to him.

"Pike always puzzled me," he said.