urred to her,--

"I shall be their successor. This is already potentially mine. In a few
months, if I please, I shall be walking this house as mistress--its
future mistress, at any rate!"

She was conscious of a quickening in the blood, a momentary blurring of
the vision. A whirlwind of fancies swept across her. She thought of
herself as the young peeress--Lord Maxwell after all was over
seventy--her own white neck blazing with diamonds, the historic jewels
of a great family--her will making law in this splendid house--in the
great domain surrounding it. What power--what a position--what a
romance! She, the out-at-elbows Marcella, the Socialist, the friend of
the people. What new lines of social action and endeavour she might
strike out! Miss Raeburn should not stop her. She caressed the thought
of the scandals in store for that lady. Only it annoyed her that her
dream of large things should be constantly crossed by this foolish
delight, making her feet dance--in this mere prospect of satin gowns and
fine jewels--of young and feted beauty holding its brilliant court. If
she made such a marriage, it should be, it must be, on public grounds.
Her friends must have no right to blame her.

Then she stole a glance at the tall, quiet gentleman beside her. A man
to be proud of from the beginning, and surely to be very fond of in
time. "He would always be my friend," she thought. "I could lead him. He
is very clever, one can see, and knows a great deal. But he admires what
I like. His position hampers him--but I could help him to get beyond it.
We might show the way to many!"

"Will you come and see this room here?" he said, stopping suddenly, yet
with a certain hesitation in the voice. "It is my own sitting-room.
There are one or two portraits I should like to show you if you would
let me."

She followed him with a rosy cheek, and they were presently standing in
front of the portrait of his mother. He spoke of his recollections of
his parents, quietly and simply, yet she felt through every nerve that
he was not the man to speak of such things to anybody in whom he did not
feel a very strong and peculiar interest. As he was talking a rush of
liking towards him came across her. How good he was--how affectionate
beneath his reserve--a woman might securely trust him with her future.

So with every minute she grew softer, her eye gentler, and with each
step and word he seemed to himself to be carried deeper into the current
o