I am engaged to be married to him."

"Oh, Charlotte! it must not be thought of. Aunt Letitia will not allow
it."

"Auntie not only allows it, but is quite pleased," Charlotte said.

"Some one must interfere. I cannot see you wilfully ruin the happiness
of your whole life by such an act."

"That's just what he said," Charlotte exclaimed. "He said he knew you
would make objections, because Gilbert has often meddled in his
concerns before; but that will not change me. If you--if
you"--Charlotte broke down, and became tearful--"had been so hungry for
somebody to care for you as I have been, and had known what it was to be
slighted and looked down upon, you would not be so cruel. It is all very
well for _you_. But you never did care what became of poor me, and I--I
used to love you so much, Joyce."

Charlotte began to sob piteously, and Joyce felt she must appear
hard-hearted, and take the consequences.

Just as she had dispelled the vision of the raindrop which was to revive
the drooping rose many years ago, so now she must do her best to dispel
a far more dangerous illusion.

"Lord Maythorne is not a good man," she said; "he is continually in
debt; he often plays high, and he has been living abroad all these years
in what manner we hardly know. We believe that he came to Bristol now,
simply to get some money out of his sister, my mother-in-law. Surely,
Charlotte, you must see that if you marry him you will be miserable."

"Gratian married Melville, and you prophesied the same then; and they
are very happy."

"That is a very different case. Gratian is older, wiser, and stronger
than Melville, and keeps him right by the force of her own will.
Besides, Melville was weak, and easily yielded to temptation; but he was
not like Lord Maythorne, who did his best to ruin him in his Oxford
days."

"He says--he says that is all a lie of Gilbert's."

"How dare you speak like that of my husband! A lie! As if he ever
stooped to tell a lie." Joyce flushed angrily, and continued: "You are a
poor, weak, sentimental girl, not a girl, for you are nearly thirty, and
if you do not know what is good for you, you must be taken care of. If
my little Lettice wished to eat anything that was poisonous I should
take it from her, and by the same rule I shall treat you."

"You have no right over me. Aunt Letitia knows, and _she_ approves, and
expects us to-morrow."

But Joyce did not give in one whit.

"Aunt Letitia must be enlightened