instinct as a lady
would have precluded you from doing anything that would make it
necessary for us to lay any restraint upon you; but to-day's occurrence
really makes me afraid. You have promised not to write to Mr. Brand, I
think?"

"Yes. But I meant to send him a little note to-day."

"Indeed? Then what I have to say is all the more necessary. We do not
restrict you to any part of the house, but you must understand that when
you come out of your own room, Margaret, you are never to be alone.
Alicia will sit with you, if I am engaged. She will walk with you, if
you wish to go out into the garden. I have no doubt it will be a little
unpleasant," said Lady Caroline, with a slight, agreeable smile, "to be
constantly under _surveillance_, and of course it will last only until
we leave home next week; but in the meantime, my dear, unless you will
give up your _penchant_ for Mr. Brand, you must submit to be watched.
You cannot be allowed to run off with messages to this man as if you
were a milliner's girl or a servant maid: _we_ manage these matters
differently."

And then Lady Caroline withdrew, though not too late to see the girl
sink down into a large arm-chair and burst into a very unwonted passion
of sobs and tears.

"So tiresome of Margaret to force one to behave in this absurd manner!"
reflected Lady Caroline. "So completely out of date in modern days!"

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE PLOUGHMAN'S SON.

Two or three days after Margaret's visit to Gwynne Street, Janetta
availed herself of Mrs. Colwyn's temporary absence in Miss Burroughs'
company to pay a visit to the Red House. Her anxiety to know what was
occurring between Wyvis and Margaret had become almost uncontrollable
and, although she was not very likely to hear much about it from Wyvis
or his mother, she vaguely hoped to gather indications at least of the
state of affairs from her cousin's aspect and manners.

It was plain that Wyvis was not in a happy mood. His brow was dark, his
tone sarcastic; he spoke roughly once or twice to his mother and to his
little son. He evidently repented of his roughness, however, as soon as
the words were out of his mouth, for he went over to Mrs. Brand's side
and kissed her immediately afterwards, and gave some extra indulgence to
Julian by way of making up for his previous severity. Still the
irritation of feeling existed, and could not be altogether repressed
when he spoke; and when he was silent he fell into a condi