ful wife;
and that was something. That she loved him, was still more.

Now that he knew Nell had forgotten him, there was no reason why he
should hesitate.

He bent lower, and his hand fell on the dog's head and touched hers.

"Luce!" he said.

She looked up, saw that the words she had been longing for were
trembling on his lips, and her face grew pale.

"Luce, I want to speak to you," he said, in a low voice. Lady Angleford
had gone to a table to collect her work; there was no one within
hearing. "I want to ask you----"

Before he could finish the all-important sentence, Wolfer and one or two
other men who had been riding came in at the door.

"Bell gone?" exclaimed Wolfer. "Afraid we are late. Had a capital ride,
Angleford! What a lovely country it is! Is my wife in yet?"

Drake bit his lip; for, having made up his mind to the plunge, he
disliked being pulled up on the brink.

"After dinner," he whispered, bending still lower, and he went upstairs
with the other men. Lord Turfleigh, who was with them, paused at the
landing, murmured an excuse, and toddled heavily down again. Lady Luce
had picked up her book and risen, and she lifted her head and looked at
her father with an unmistakable expression on her face.

He raised his heavy eyebrows and stretched his mouth in a grin of
satisfaction.

"No!" he said, in a thick whisper. "Really?"

She nodded, and flashed a smile of exultant triumph round the hall.

"Yes. He had nearly spoken when you came in! My luck, of course! Another
minute! But he will speak to-night!"

"My dear gyurl!" he murmured. "You make your poor old father a proud and
happy man. My own gyurl!"

She glanced at Lady Angleford warningly, and going up to her, took her
arm and murmured sweetly:

"Let us go upstairs together, dear."

Lady Angleford looked at her with a meaning smile.

"How changed you have suddenly become, Luce!" she said. "Where are all
your yawns gone? One would think you had heard news!"

Luce turned her face with a radiant smile.

"Perhaps I have," she said, in a low voice. "I--I will tell
you--to-morrow!"

They parted at the door of Lady Angleford's room, Lady Luce's being
farther down the corridor. Next to Lady Angleford's was the suite which
had been prepared for Drake, and he came out of the room which adjoined
the one she used as a dressing room as she was going into it.

"I'm sorry if my absence to-day was inconvenient, countess," he said.

"Not in the