her rank and position. She wrote a very curt
note, begging that her thanks might be given to his Majesty,--and
then she burned the private secretary's letter. No congratulations
were anything to her till she should see her daughter freed from the
debasement of her engagement to the tailor.

Speculation was rife as to the kind of life which the Countess would
lead. That she would have wealth sufficient to blaze forth in London
with all the glories of Countess-ship, there was no doubt. Her own
share of the estate was put down as worth at least ten thousand a
year for her life, and this she would enjoy without deductions, and
with no other expenditure than that needed for herself. Her age was
ascertained to a day, and it was known that she was as yet only
forty-five. Was it not probable that some happy man might share
her wealth with her? What an excellent thing it would be for old
Lundy,--the Marquis of Lundy,--who had run through every shilling of
his own property! Before a week was over, the suggestion had been
made to old Lundy. "They say she is mad, but she can't be mad enough
for that," said the Marquis.

The rector hurried home full of indignation, but he had a word or
two with his nephew before he started. "What do you mean to do now,
Frederic?" asked the rector with a very grave demeanour.

"Do? I don't know that I shall do anything."

"You give up the girl, then?"

"My dear uncle; that is a sort of question that I don't think a man
ever likes to be asked."

"But I suppose I may ask how you intend to live?"

"I trust, uncle Charles, that I shall not, at any rate, be a burden
to my relatives."

"Oh; very well; very well. Of course I have nothing more to say. I
think it right, all the same, to express my opinion that you have
been grossly misused by Sir William Patterson. Of course what I say
will have no weight with you; but that is my opinion."

"I do not agree with you, uncle Charles."

"Very well; I have nothing more to say. It is right that I should
let you know that I do not believe that this woman was ever Lord
Lovel's wife. I never did believe it, and I never will believe it.
All that about marrying the girl has been a take in from beginning
to end;--all planned to induce you to do just what you have done. No
word in courtesy should ever have been spoken to either of them."

"I am as sure that she is the Countess as I am that I am the Earl."

"Very well. It costs me nothing, but it costs you