at. But now, being at daggers drawn with
me, she digs up (if you please) a will made in '46 and apparently
sane in wording, by which, without any provision for the heir-at-law,
the whole bagful, real and personal, goes to her, to be used by her
and willed away, as she pleases; this, although she well knows I can
prove Sir Thomas to have been a blethering idiot at the time."

"Is it worth while?"

"Worth while?" he echoed, as if doubtful that she had understood.
"The woman is doing it out of spite, of course. Very likely she is
fool enough to think that, fixed here with the Atlantic between us, I
shall give her the double gratification of annoying me and letting
her win by default."

"It is a large sum," she mused.

"Of course it is," he agreed sharply. "An estate yielding two
thousand pounds interest. You would not suggest my letting it go, I
should hope!"

"Certainly not, if you cannot afford it."

"If it were a twentieth part of the sum, I'd not be jockeyed out of
it." He laughed harshly. "As men go, I am well-to-do: but, dear, has
it never occurred to you to wonder what this place and its household
cost me?"

She answered with a small wry smile. "Often it has occurred to me.
Often I tell myself that I am wicked to accept, as you are foolish
perhaps to give, all this luxury."

"You adorn it. . . . Dear, do not misunderstand me. All the offering
I can bring is too little for my love."

"I know," she murmured, looking up at him with moist eyes. "I know;
and yet--"

"I meant only that you are not used to handling money or calculating
it--as why should you be?"

"If my lord will only try me!"

"Hey?"

"Of what use is a wife if she may not contrive for her husband's
good--take thought for his household? Ah, my dear, these cares are
half a woman's happiness! . . . I might make mistakes. Nay, 'tis
certain. I would the house were smaller: in a sense I would that
your wealth were smaller--it would frighten me less. But something
tells me that, though frightened, I should not fail you."

He stared down at her, pulling his lip moodily. "I was thinking,"
said he, "to ask Langton to be my steward. Would you really choose
to be cumbered with all this business?"

She held her breath for a moment; for his question meant that he had
no design to take her with him. Her face paled a little, but she
answered steadily.

"It will at least fill my empty hours. . . . Better, dear--it will
keep you befo