se I rode a few miles farther to-day than
usual? Dear mother, that is too absurd. I was sorry not to be at home
in time to give you your afternoon tea, and I apologise to you with all
my heart; but what can it matter to Captain Winstanley?"

"My dearest Violet, when will you understand that Conrad stands in the
place of your dear father?"

"Never, mamma, for that is not true. God gave me one father, and I
loved and honoured him with all my heart. There is no sacrifice he
could have asked of me that I would not have made; no command of his,
however difficult, that I would not have obeyed. But I will obey no
spurious father. I recognise no duty that I owe to Captain Winstanley."

"You are a very cruel girl," wailed Pamela, "and your obstinacy is
making my life miserable."

"Dear mother, how do I interfere with your happiness? You live your
life, and I mine. You and Captain Winstanley take your own way, I mine.
Is it a crime to be out riding a little longer than usual, that you
should look so pale and the Captain so black when I come home?"

"It is worse than a crime, Violet; it is an impropriety."

Vixen blushed crimson, and turned upon her mother with an expression
that was half startled, half indignant.

"What do you mean, mamma?"

"Had you been riding about the Forest all those hours alone, it would
have been eccentric--unladylike--masculine even. You know that your
habit of passing half your existence on horseback has always been a
grief to me. But you were not alone."

"No, mamma, I was not alone. I had my oldest friend with me; one of the
few people in this big world who care for me."

"You were riding about with Roderick Vawdrey, Lady Mabel Ashbourne's
future husband."

"Why do you remind me of his engagement, mamma? Do you think that
Roderick and I have even forgotten it? Can he not be my friend as well
as Lady Mabel's husband? Am I to forget that he and I played together
as children, that we have always thought of each other and cared for
each other as brother and sister, only because he is engaged to Lady
Mabel Ashbourne?"

"Violet, you must know that all talk about brother and sister is sheer
nonsense. Suppose I had set up brother and sister with Captain
Winstanley! What would you--what would the world have thought?"

"That would have been different," said Vixen. "You did not know each
other as babies. In fact you couldn't have done so, for you had left
off being a baby before he was born," adde