's youngest son, and no one need trouble their heads who I marry.
But, my dear May, if I wore a ducal coronet, you would be the richest
prize I could wish for to grace it; though do not suppose, though I
would rather, for the sake of avoiding difficulties, be of the humblest
birth, that I consider you unworthy of filling the highest rank in the
realm."

May had never told Harry that she was not Dame Halliburt's daughter.
Why she had not done so she might even have found it difficult to say.
At first, a feeling of modest reserve had prevented her from speaking
about herself. The Miss Pembertons, in their simplicity, had not
thought it likely that Harry would fall in love with her, merely by
coming a few times to the house, if he supposed her to be Adam
Halliburt's daughter; but they had sufficient worldly wisdom to know
that should they excite his interest by telling him her romantic
history, he, in all probability, would be moved by it. May herself,
however, now felt she ought not longer to conceal the fact from him. It
could not fail to be a satisfaction to him, as both the ladies and her
foster-parents were fully convinced that she was of gentle birth. She
was on the point of telling him when Susan hurried up with the
information that Lady Castleton's carriage had just driven to the door.

The young people had not marked how rapidly the time had gone by.

May suddenly felt even more agitated than before. Harry's declaration,
though delightful, was not calculated to prepare her for receiving his
mother and sister with the self-possession and calmness she would have
wished to exhibit.

"Do, Harry, go in first, and I will come into the drawing-room as soon
as I can compose myself. You have made me very happy, but I must be
alone for a few minutes before I can meet any one."

They returned to the house together. Susan had gone on before.

Lady Castleton and Julia had been for some time seated in the
drawing-room when Harry entered.

"I am glad to find Harry makes himself so useful to you," observed Lady
Castleton to Miss Jane, as he took his seat near Julia, who was talking
to Miss Mary.

"Yes, indeed, we are much obliged to him, and hope to have the pleasure
of showing his handiwork to you after luncheon," answered Miss Jane.
"He and the young friend residing with us have done nearly the whole of
the ornamental part of the work, and have exhibited a great deal of
skill and taste."

Harry overheard the r