iew, all that any woman could desire. I
gave up the dearest heart, the sweetest temper, ay, and the truest man
that, that-- Well, you have won him instead, and he has been the gainer.
I doubt whether I ever should have made him happy, but I know that you
will do so. It was just here that I parted from him."

"He has told me of that parting," said Florence.

"I am sure he has. And, Miss Burton, if you will allow me to say one
word further--do not be made to think any ill of him because of what
happened the other day."

"I think no ill of him," said Florence, proudly.

"That is well. But I am sure you do not. You are not one to think evil,
as I take it, of any body, much less of him whom you love. When he saw
me again, free as I am, and when I saw him, thinking him also to be
free, was it strange that some memory of old days should come back upon
us? But the fault, if fault there has been, was mine."

"I have never said that there was any fault."

"No, Miss Burton, but others have said so. No doubt I am foolish to talk
to you in this way, and I have not yet said that which I desired to say.
It is simply this--that I do not begrudge you your happiness. I wished
the same happiness to be mine, but it is not mine. It might have been,
but I forfeited it. It is past, and I will pray that you may enjoy it
long. You will not refuse to receive my congratulations?"

"Indeed I will not."

"Or to think of me as a friend of your husband's?"

"Oh no."

"That is all, then. I have shown you the gardens, and now we may go in.
Some day, perhaps, when you are Lady Paramount here, and your children
are running about the place, I may come again to see them--if you and he
will have me."

"I hope you will, Lady Ongar. In truth I hope so."

"It is odd enough that I said to him once that I would never go to
Clavering Park again till I went there to see his wife. That was long
before those two brothers perished--before I had ever heard of Florence
Burton. And yet, indeed, it was not very long ago. It was since my
husband died. But that was not quite true, for here I am, and he has not
yet got a wife. But it was odd, was it not?"

"I can not think what should have made you say that."

"A spirit of prophecy comes on one sometimes, I suppose. Well, shall we
go in? I have shown you all the wonders of the garden, and told you all
the wonders connected with it of which I know aught. No doubt there
would be other wonders more wonderful,