come next time?"

"I mean to keep her as long--as long--as ever I can!"

Marsham held her hand close and warm a moment, felt her look waver a
second beneath his, and then, with a quick and resolute step, he
went his way.

He was just putting on his coat in the outer hall when there was a sound
of approaching wheels. A carriage stopped at the door, to which the
butler hurried. As he opened it Marsham saw in the light of the porch
lamp the face of a girl peering out of the carriage window. It was a
little awkward. His own horse was held by a groom on the other side of
the carriage. There was nothing to do but to wait till the young lady
had passed. He drew to one side.

Miss Merton descended. There was just time for Marsham to notice an
extravagant hat, smothered in ostrich feathers, a large-featured, rather
handsome face, framed in a tangled mass of black hair, a pair of sharp
eyes that seemed to take in hungrily all they saw--the old hall, the
butler, and himself, as he stood in the shadow. He heard the new guest
speak to the butler about her luggage. Then the door of the inner hall
opened, and he caught Diana's hurrying feet, and her cry--

"Fanny!"

He passed the lady and escaped. As he rode away into the darkness of the
lanes he was conscious of an impression which had for the moment checked
the happy flutter of blood and pulse. Was _that_ the long-expected
cousin? Poor Diana! A common-looking, vulgar young woman--with a most
unpleasant voice and accent. An unpleasant manner, too, to the
servants--half arrogant, half familiar. What a hat!--and what a
fringe!--worthy of some young "lidy" in the Old Kent Road! The thought
of Diana sitting at table with such a person on equal terms pricked him
with annoyance; for he had all his mother's fastidiousness, though it
showed itself in different forms. He blamed Mrs. Colwood--Diana ought to
have been more cautiously guided. The thought of all the tender
preparation made for the girl was both amusing and repellent.

Miss Merton, he understood, was Diana's cousin on the mother's side--the
daughter of her mother's sister. A swarm of questions suddenly arose in
his mind--questions not hitherto entertained. Had there been, in fact, a
_mesalliance_--some disagreeable story--which accounted, perhaps, for
the self-banishment of Mr. Mallory?--the seclusion in which Diana had
been brought up? The idea was most unwelcome, but the sight of Fanny
Merton had inevitably provoked it.