his touching letter to the old friendship between our
families, and to the fact that similar offices have often been performed
by his relations for mine, or _vice versa_. But no reminder of the kind
was in the least needed. If I can be of any service to yourself and to
Miss Boyce, neither your poor husband nor you could do me any greater
kindness than to command me.

"I feel naturally some diffidence in the matter. I gather from Mr.
French that Miss Boyce is her father's heiress, and comes at once into
the possession of Mellor. She may not, of course, wish me to act, in
which case I should withdraw immediately; but I sincerely trust that she
will not forbid me the very small service I could so easily and gladly
render.

"I cannot close my letter without venturing to express the deep
sympathy I have felt for you and yours during the past six months. I
have been far from forgetful of all that you have been going through,
though I may have seemed so. I trust that you and your daughter will not
hurry home for any business cause, if it is still best for your health
to stay in Italy. With your instructions Mr. French and I could arrange
everything.

"Believe me,

"Yours most sincerely,

"MAXWELL."

"You will find it difficult, my dear, to write a snub in answer to that
letter," said Mrs. Boyce, drily, as Marcella laid it down.

Marcella's face was, indeed, crimson with perplexity and feeling.

"Well, we can think it over," she said as she went away.

Mrs. Boyce pondered the matter a good deal when she was left alone. The
signs of reaction and change in Marcella were plain enough. What they
precisely meant, and how much, was another matter. As to him, Marcella's
idea of another attachment might be true, or might be merely the
creation of her own irritable pride. Anyway, he was in the mood to write
a charming letter. Mrs. Boyce's blanched lip had all its natural irony
as she thought it over. To her mind Aldous Raeburn's manners had always
been a trifle too good, whether for his own interests or for this wicked
world. And if he had any idea now of trying again, let him, for
Heaven's sake, not be too yielding or too eager! "It was always the
way," thought Mrs. Boyce, remembering a child in white frock and baby
shoes--"if you wished to make her want anything, you had to take it away
from her."

Meanwhile the mere thought that matters might even yet so settle
themselves drew from the mother a long breath of relie