ow I loved you when he said that! It was brave of you to
say such words, but my boy deserves them. If ever a girl was worshipped,
he worshipped you.'

'Dear Mrs. Blake, I think we will not speak of that.'

'Why should we not speak of it? It is the only thing that will comfort
me, and him too. Ah, if you only loved him as he loves you, there would
be no difficulty. Many a girl has given up more for her lover than you
will ever be asked to give up, and has found her reward in a happy
life.'

'I will not pretend to misunderstand you,' returned Audrey simply; but
she felt as she spoke that her father had been right to dread this
interview. 'I know what you would insinuate--you would have me marry
Cyril without my parents' consent.'

'I would,' was Mrs. Blake's unabashed reply; 'and where would be the
harm, Audrey? You are of age; you have your own money. No one has a
right to prevent your marriage. Of course, your people would be angry at
first, but after a time they would relent. My darling girl, think of it:
would it not be a noble act of self-sacrifice? And it would save Cyril!'

'He would not wish to save himself at the risk of my happiness and peace
of mind,' she replied calmly. 'Dear Mrs. Blake, how strange that you
should not know your own son better than that! Cyril would never marry
me without my father's consent, neither would I marry him. Under such
circumstances we should both be wretched.'

'And you call that love?' returned Mrs. Blake with a sneer. 'I am
different from you, Audrey. I would have given up home, country,
everything, for the sake of the man I loved; that is why I hated Mat,
because I was bound to him, and the other man was free. It just maddened
me! What!' interrupting herself, 'are you going to leave me?'

'It is useless to stay,' returned Audrey, in a pained voice. 'If you
talk like this, it is far better for me to go.'

Then Mrs. Blake burst into passionate tears, and clasped her in her
arms.

'Going! when I have never thanked you for your goodness to my boy; when
I have never told you how dearly I have loved you for it! Audrey,
forgive me, and stay with me a little, and I will try not to talk so
wildly. It makes me feel better only to look at you--and you used to
love me a little.'

Then very reluctantly Audrey suffered herself to be persuaded, and to
remain for another half-hour.

CHAPTER XLIV

MOLLIE GOES INTO EXILE

'There are some natures that cannot unfold unde