t
suppose, Mary, that he could be going to keep silence _now_?"

"Of course not," said Mary. "Seeing what you have suffered for him----"

"He must never know that," Nelly said, with gentle dignity, "until he
has spoken. What should I do, Mary, if he never spoke? But I think
everyone would keep my secret, even his sister and mother. I asked them
not to speak of me in their letters. I am in suspense, Mary."

"It will not be for long," the happy bride assured her. As though she
were wiser than another in knowing the way of any particular man with
any particular maid!

CHAPTER XXVII

THE INTERMEDIARY

Some time in December Captain Langrishe came home.

Nelly knew the day and the hour that he was expected, but she was as
terrified of meeting him as though she had not had so much assurance of
his love for her. She knew the events of the day as though she had been
present at their happening. Cyprian Rooke's brother, a young,
distinguished doctor well on his way to Harley Street although only a
few discriminating people had found him out, had gone down to
Southampton with Mrs. Rooke and her mother to meet the invalid, who even
yet must bear traces of the terrible illness through which he had
passed. Nelly could see it all, from the moment the big boat came into
Southampton Docks till the arrival in London. Captain Langrishe was
going down to his sister's cottage in Sussex. The mother and sister, who
already claimed Nelly as their own, had been eager for her to be there
on their arrival, or to come later. But Nelly was adamant.

"He must come to me," she said. "And I think the one thing I could not
forgive is that anyone should interfere: _anyone_, even you two whom I
dearly love. Promise me that you will not."

They had promised her. They were women of discretion; and they felt that
now he was come back to them things might safely be left to take their
own course. To be sure, as soon as he could he would go to Nelly as to
his mate, naturally, joyfully. In an early letter, written before
Nelly's embargo, Mrs. Rooke had told him that Nelly's engagement had
been broken off. Later, she had conveyed the news that Robin Drummond
had consoled himself with rapidity, and was to be married to the Miss
Gray whose book on the conditions of women's labour among the poor had
made such a stir, and not only in political circles. Godfrey Langrishe
in his letters had not commented on these communications.

"Let Godfrey be!" s