PTER LIV

The arrangement for the morrow was that Angela and her father were to
take a fly to Roxham, where the registry office was, and whither
George was also to be conveyed in a close carriage; that the ceremony
was then to be gone through, after which the parties were to separate
and return to their respective homes. Mr. Fraser had been asked to
attend, but had excused himself from doing so.

In pursuance of this programme, Angela and her father left the Abbey
House about ten o'clock and drove in silence to the town. Strange as
it may seem, Angela had never been in a town before, and, in the
curious condition of her mind, the new sight of busy streets
interested her greatly, and served to divert her attention till they
reached the door of the office. She alighted and was shown with Philip
into a waiting-room. And here, for some unexplained reason, a great
fear took hold of her, a terror of this ceremony which now loomed
large and life-like before her.

"Father," she said, suddenly, after a moment of irresolution, "I am
going home. I will not go on with this business."

"What can you mean, Angela?"

"I mean what I say. I never realized how dreadful it all was till now;
it has come upon me like a revelation. Come, I am going."

"Angela, don't be a fool. You forget that George will be here in a
minute, and that the settlements are all signed."

"Then he can go back again and the settlements can be torn up. I will
not go on with it."

Philip was by this time almost beside himself with anxiety. After
having thus with thought and toil, and by the aid of a blessed chance,
lifted this delicious cup to his lips, was it to be dashed from him?
Were the sweet dreams so near approaching to realization, in which he
had been wrapped for so many days, all to be dissipated into thin air?
Was he to lose the land after all, after he had fingered--oh! how
lovingly--the yellow title-deeds? For, alas! the sale depended on the
marriage. It could not be, neither fate nor Angela could be so cruel.
He turned upon her with the boldness of despair.

"Angela, you must not go on like this, after having agreed to the
thing of your own free will. Think of what it involves for me. If you
refuse to marry him now at the last moment, I shall lose the Isleworth
estates. Heavens, to think that so much property should be dependent
upon the mere whim of a girl! Cannot you have a little consideration
for others beside yourself? Do you really mea