lder, the new furniture and decorations naturally
lagging behind all. And to make these things more easy to bear he had
met Mrs. Wilberforce, who had told him that she wondered to see so much
money being spent at the Warren, as she heard his home was to be at
Markland, and so natural, as it was so much better a house: and that she
had heard little Lord Markland was going to school immediately, which no
doubt was the best thing that could be done, and would leave his mother
free. After this he had rushed to Markland in hot impetuosity. "I am
never told," he cried. "I do not wish to exact anything, but if you have
made up your mind about Geoff, I think I might have heard it from
yourself."

"Dear Theo!" Lady Markland said, and that was all.

Then he threw himself at her feet in sudden compunction, "I am a brute,"
he said. "I come to you with my idiotic stories and you listen to me
with that sweet patience of yours, and never reprove me. Tell me I am a
fool and not worthy of your trust; I am so, I am so! but it is because I
can't bear this state of affairs--to be everything and yet nothing, to
know that you are mine, and yet have a stranger informing me what you
are going to do."

"No stranger need inform you, Theo. Geoff has asked me to send him to
school. I can't tell how any one could know. He wishes to go--directly.
He is not happy either. Oh, Theo, I think I make everybody unhappy
instead of----"

"Not you," he cried, "not you, those men with their idiotic delays.
Geoff is wise, wiser than they are. Let us follow his example, dearest.
You don't distrust me; you know that whatever is best for you, even
what they think best, all their ridiculous conditions, I will carry out.
Don't you know, that the less my hands are bound, the more I should
accept the fetters, all, as much as they please, that they think needful
for you--but not as conditions of having you. That is what I cannot
bear."

"You have me," she said, smiling upon him with a smile very close upon
tears, "you know, without any conditions at all."

"Then let it be so," he cried. "Oh let it be so--directly, as Geoff
wishes: dear little Geoff, wise Geoff--let him be our example."

"Theo--oh, try to love my boy!"

"I will make him my model, if you will take his example, directly,
directly! The child is wise, he knows better than any of us. Darling,
let us take his example, let us cut this knot. When the uncertainty is
over, all these difficulties will me