ah was talking to me on this very subject
last May. She said then that she felt that Elizabeth would marry, and
that in that case she would like her to have the Wood House. Of course,
I am telling you this in confidence. 'Cedric will be my heir,' she
continued; 'but I do not wish him to know this at present. It will be
better for him to work, and not eat the bread of idleness;' and of
course I approved of this. Now, Mr. Herrick, I must not wait a moment
longer. Why do you not come down to the Manor House for a quiet
Sunday?" But Malcolm excused himself. He was busy; he had been away so
much, he could not take any more holidays, and so on. Mrs. Godfrey
looked as though she hardly believed him.

"It would do you good," she persisted, looking at him very kindly.
"This week we have a young American coming to us for two or three
nights--Hugh Rossiter, the famous bear-hunter. I have often mentioned
him to you. Alick is devoted to him; he says of all the acute Yankees
he is the acutest, and that he could see through any number of brick
walls. No, I will not ask you to meet him. Bears are not in your line.
Come the week after." But Malcolm shook his head.

Much as he valued his friends, and dearly as he loved to be with them,
the Manor House was the last place for him just then. Elizabeth's name
would be frequently mentioned, and there would be constant references
to the Wood House, and he fancied that at some unguarded moment he
might betray himself. At present Mrs. Godfrey had no suspicion. She
very naturally attributed his jaded looks to overwork, and he had been
able to mask his feelings, except at that one dreadful moment. When she
spoke of the intended marriage the sudden sickening pain at his heart
told him that he could not trust himself. As he walked towards the
station, when he had done his business, he pondered over all Mrs.
Godfrey had told him.

Was it possible that the sisters had known all these weeks that Cedric
had been thrown into daily and hourly contact with Leah Jacobi and her
brother? Was it likely that Cedric had told them that there was even
such a place as Shepherd's Hut?

Perhaps he did not mean to wilfully deceive them. Very probably he had
his excuse ready. Malcolm could almost hear his words. "I said nothing
about the Jacobis because I knew your prejudice, and I did not want to
fluster you. I thought Mrs. Godfrey would spin her yarn, and I left it
to her. It was not my fault if the Wallaces took