What has Lady Thetford to do with me?"

"Everything! She knows who you are as well as I do. I must speak to her
first."

"Answer me one thing--is my name Vyking?"

"No. Pray, pray don't ask me any more questions. As soon as her ladyship
is a little stronger, I will go to her and obtain her permission to
speak. Keep what I have said a secret from Sir Rupert, and wait until
then."

She turned to go, so haggard and wild-looking, that neither strove to
detain her. The young man stared blankly after her as she left the room.

"At last!" he said, drawing a deep breath, "at last I shall know!"

There was a pause; then May spoke in a fluttering little voice.

"How very strange that Mrs. Weymore should know, of all persons in the
world!"

"Who is Mrs. Weymore? How long has she been here? Tell me all you know
of her, Miss Everard."

"And that 'all' will be almost nothing. She came down from London as
nursery-governess to Rupert and me, a week or two after my arrival here,
selected by the rector of St. Gosport. She was then what you see her
now, a pale, subdued creature in widow weeds, with the look of one who
had seen trouble. I have known her so long, and always as such a white,
still shadow, I suppose that is why it seems so odd."

Mrs. Weymore kept altogether out of Mr. Legard's way for the next week
or two. She avoided May also, as much as possible, and shrunk so
palpably from any allusion to the past scene, that May good-naturedly
bided her time in silence, though almost as impatient as Mr. Legard
himself.

And whilst they waited the bridal-eve came round, and Lady Thetford was
much better, not able to quit her room, but strong enough to lie on a
sofa and talk to her son and Colonel Jocyln, with a flush on her cheek,
and a sparkle in her eye--all unusual there.

The marriage was to take place in the village church, and there was to
follow a grand ceremonial wedding-breakfast; and then the happy pair
were to start at once on their blissful bridal-tour.

"And I hope to see my boy return," Lady Thetford said, kissing him
fondly. "I can hardly ask for more than that."

Late in the afternoon of that eventful wedding-eve, the ex-governess
sought out Guy Legard, for the first time of her own accord. She found
him in the young baronet's studio, with May, putting the finishing
touches to that young lady's portrait. He started up at sight of his
visitor, vividly interested. Mrs. Weymore was paler even than usual,
but