his hand. "I will run and tell Violet at once, lest she should
be alarmed by seeing you."

"Yes, and to show her why we may continue to have communion as friends,
tell her that there is a gentle Florentine girl, with dark eyes, and
dark hair, and a sweet voice, who, as my mother will bear witness, has
promised in a year's time to leave her Casa d'oro for Other Hall," he
said smiling.

They took him down to see the others, who rejoiced to see him nearly as
much as they did, and the time sped on for the wedding to be performed.
The carriages had already started to convey the bridegrooms and their
friends to church, when another carriage drove rapidly along the street,
carrying another most unexpected guest.

It had been arranged that Cyril and Frank should come down to Orton on
the morning of the ceremony, as there was a difficulty in finding room
for them. It was very late, and they were beginning to be afraid that
the boys had missed a train, and would not arrive till after the
ceremony, when they made their triumphant entry into Orton in a carriage
by the side of--Lady Vinsear!

Only imagine! Being left almost alone at Ildown while the others had
gone to Orton to make arrangements for the marriage, Cyril had
audaciously proposed to his brother that, as it was through them that
Lady Vinsear's wrath had been kindled against Julian, they should go
over and see whether the old lady would admit them into her presence or
in any way suffer herself to be pacified. The proposal was quite a
sudden one, and the thought had only come into Cyril's head because he
had nothing else to do. But he had no sooner thought of it than he
determined to carry it out. He felt certain that Lady Vinsear could not
be so totally unlike his late father as to have become wholly
ill-natured and implacable, and he was sure that no harm could result
from his visit even if no good were done.

So the boys drove over in a pony-chaise to Lonstead Abbey, and knocking
at the door, asked if Lady Vinsear was at home.

"Yes," said the old servant, opening his eyes in astonishment at the
apparition of the two boys, whom he had only seen as children four years
before.

"Then, ask if she will see Mr Cyril and Master Frank Home. Stop,
though; is Miss Sprong at home?"

"Oh, no, Master Cyril; bless you, Miss Sprong, sir, has gone and married
Farmer Jones this year gone."

"Has she indeed? Oh, then, take my message, please, James."

They had come