nd again she would
murmur a word or two of love as she revelled in the perception of
his solicitude. What was there for her to regret, for her to whom
was given the luxury of such love? Was not a month of it more than
a whole life without it? Then, when the father came, Hampstead took
his leave. As he kissed her lips, something seemed to tell him that
it would be for the last time. It was not good, the Quaker had said,
that she should be disturbed. Yes; he could come again; but not quite
yet.

At the very moment when the Quaker so spoke she was pressing her lips
to his. "God keep you and take you, my darling," she whispered to
him, "and bring you to me in heaven." She noticed not at all at the
moment the warm tears that were running on to her own face; nor did
the Quaker seem to notice it when Lord Hampstead left the house
without saying to him a word of farewell.

CHAPTER XVII.

LADY AMALDINA'S WEDDING.

The time came round for Lady Amaldina's marriage, than which nothing
more august, nothing more aristocratic, nothing more truly savouring
of the hymeneal altar, had ever been known or was ever to be known
in the neighbourhood of Hanover Square. For it was at last decided
that the marriage should take place in London before any of the
aristocratic assistants at the ceremony should have been whirled away
into autumnal spaces. Lord Llwddythlw himself knew but very little
about it,--except this, that nothing would induce him so to hurry on
the ceremony as to interfere with his Parliamentary duties. A day in
August had been mentioned in special reference to Parliament. He was
willing to abide by that, or to go to the sacrifice at any earlier
day of which Parliament would admit. Parliament was to sit for the
last time on Wednesday, 12th August, and the marriage was fixed for
the 13th. Lady Amaldina had prayed for the concession of a week.
Readers will not imagine that she based her prayers on the impatience
of love. Nor could a week be of much significance in reference to
that protracted and dangerous delay to which the match had certainly
been subjected. But the bevy might escape. How were twenty young
ladies to be kept together in the month of August when all the young
men were rushing off to Scotland? Others were not wedded to their
duties as was Lord Llwddythlw. Lady Amaldina knew well how completely
Parliament became a mere affair of Governmental necessities during
the first weeks of August. "I should have