iew approached, and
with it the opportunity for conversation of a different kind, both were
conscious of a certain tremor. To him this old parlour was torturingly
full of memories. In this very place where they sat he had given her
his mother's pearls, and taken a kiss in return from the cheek that was
once more so near to him. With what free and exquisite curves the hair
set about the white brow! How beautiful was the neck--the hand! What
ripened, softened charm in every movement! The touching and rebuking
thought rose in his mind that from her nursing experience, and its frank
contact with the ugliest realities of the physical life--a contact he
had often shrunk from realising--there had come to her, not so much
added strength, as a new subtlety and sweetness, some delicate,
vibrating quality, that had been entirely lacking to her first splendid
youth.

Suddenly she said to him, with a certain hesitation:

"There was one more point I wanted to speak to you about. Can you advise
me about selling some of those railway shares?"

She pointed to an item in a short list of investments that lay beside
them.

"But why?" said Aldous, surprised. "They are excellent property already,
and are going up in value."

"Yes, I know. But I want some ready money immediately--more than we
have--to spend on cottage-building in the village. I saw a builder
yesterday and came to a first understanding with him. We are altering
the water-supply too. They have begun upon it already, and it will cost
a good deal."

Aldous was still puzzled.

"I see," he said. "But--don't you suppose that the income of the estate,
now that your father has done so much to free it, will be enough to meet
expenses of that kind, without trenching on investments? A certain
amount, of course, should be systematically laid aside every year for
rebuilding, and estate improvements generally."

"Yes; but you see I only regard half of the income as mine."

She looked up with a little smile.

He was now standing in front of her, against the fire, his grey eyes,
which could be, as she well knew, so cold and inexpressive, bent upon
her with eager interest.

"Only half the income?" he repeated. "Ah!"--he smiled kindly--"is that
an arrangement between you and your mother?"

Marcella let her hand fall with a little despairing gesture.

"Oh no!" she said--"oh no! Mamma--mamma will take nothing from me or
from the estate. She has her own money, and she will live wi