my locket. He was such an intelligent little fellow for eighteen
months! I came down so glad, and it was so pleasant to see Emily, in
her white dress, leaning over my father while he had gone so happily
into his old delight of showing his prints and engravings; and Torwood,
standing by the fire, watching them with the look of a conqueror, and
Jaquetta--like the absurd child she loved to be--teasing them with
ridiculous questions about their housekeeping.

They were to have Spinney Lawn bought for them, just a mile away, and
the business was in hand. Jacquey was enquiring whether there was a
parlour for The Cid, Torwood's hunter, whom she declared was as dear to
him as Emily herself. Indeed, Emily did go out every morning after
breakfast to feed him with bread. I can see her now on Torwood's arm,
with big Rollo and little Malta rolling over one another after them.

Then came an afternoon when we had all walked to Spinney Lawn, laid out
the gardens together, and wandered about the empty rooms, planning for
them. The birds were singing in the March sunshine, and the tomtits
were calling "peter" in the trees, and Jaquetta went racing about after
the dogs, like a thing of seven years old, instead of seventeen. And
Torwood was cutting out a root of primroses, leaves and all, for Emily,
when we saw a fly go along the lane, and wondered, with a sort of idle
wonder. We supposed it must be visitors for the parsonage, and so we
strolled home, looking for violets by the way, and Jaquetta getting
shiny studs of celandine. Ah! I remember those glistening stars were
all closed before we came back.

Well, it must come, so it is silly to linger! There stood the fly at
the hall-door, and the butler met us, saying--

"There's a person with his lordship, my lord. She would not wait till
you came in, though I told her he saw no one on business without you--"

Torwood hastened on before this, expecting to see some importunate
person bothering my father with a petition. What he did see was my
father leaning back in his chair, with a white, confounded, bewildered
look, and a woman, with a child on her lap, opposite. Her back was to
the door, and Torwood's first impression was that she was a
well-dressed impostor threatening him; so he came quickly to my
father's side, and said--

"What is it father? I'm here."

My poor father put out his hand feebly to him, and said--

"It is all true, Torwood. God forgive me; I did not