l hear the carriage stop some fine morning," he said, "and they
will be here to seek a reconciliation."

He laughed when the waiter gave him my lady's letter; he turned
triumphantly to his wife.

"This is from my mother," he said; "I knew she would relent, it is
probably to ask us to Cawdor."

But as he read it his face changed; the smile and the triumph died from
it. He said no word to Leone, but tore the letter into shreds. She
looked on with a wistful face.

"Is it from your mother, Lance?" she asked.

He took her in his arms and kissed her.

"My darling, do not trouble about them; you are all the world to me.
They will not forgive me; but it does not matter. I am proud of what I
have done. I am quite independent. I shall take a pretty little villa at
Richmond, and we shall live there until they come to their senses."

"That will be giving up all the world for me," she said.

"The world will be well lost, Leone. We will go to-morrow and find a
pretty little house where we shall be quite happy. Remember one thing
always--that my mother will love you when she sees you."

"Then let her see me now, Lance, at once," she cried, eagerly, "if you
think so. Why wait? I should be more happy than any one else in the
world if you would do that."

"It is too soon yet," he replied; "all will be right in time."

She wished that he had offered to show her his mother's letter; but she
did not like to ask what the contents were.

Lord Chandos dare not tell her, besides which he laughed in scorn at the
idea. They might threaten as they would; but he felt quite certain there
was no power on earth which could set aside his marriage, therefore he
should not trouble himself about it. He would go to Richmond and look
out for a house there.

CHAPTER XIII.

A PERFECTLY HAPPY WOMAN.

"They would never dare do it," Lord Chandos repeated to himself with a
laugh of contempt. Set his marriage aside. They were mad to think of
such a thing.

From time to time strange-looking documents came to him; he thrust them
aside without even looking at them. He only laughed at the notion. Part
him from Leone. It was not in the power of any one on earth to do it. He
never mentioned the matter to Leone at all; it was not worth while to
disturb her.

They had been to Richmond, and had found there a villa so beautiful it
seemed to have been built for them--a quaint, picturesque, old English
house, full of pretty nooks and corners, wit