e, in
spite of her judgment, that Ayala might yet relent. Her heart was
soft towards her son, so that she felt that the girl would deserve
all manner of punishment unless she would at last yield to Tom's
wishes. She was all but sure that it could not be so, and yet, in
spite of her convictions, she hoped.

On the next morning the train took her safely to the Stalham Road
Station, and as she approached the end of her journey her heart
became heavier within her. She felt that she could not but fail to
give any excuse to the Alburys for such a journey,--unless, indeed,
Ayala should do as she would have her. At the station she found the
Albury carriage, with the Albury coachman, and the Albury footman,
and the Albury liveries, waiting for her. It was a closed carriage,
and for a moment she thought that Ayala might be there. In that case
she could have performed her commission in the carriage, and then
have returned to London without going to the house at all. But Ayala
was not there. Lady Tringle was driven up to the house, and then
taken through the hall into a small sitting-room, where for a moment
she was alone. Then the door opened, and Ayala, radiant with beauty,
in all the prettiness of her best morning costume, was in a moment
in her arms. She seemed in her brightness to be different from that
Ayala who had been known before at Glenbogie and in Rome. "Dear
aunt," said Ayala, "I am so delighted to see you at Stalham!"

CHAPTER LV.

IN THE CASTLE THERE LIVED A KNIGHT.

Ayala was compelled to consent to remain at Stalham. The "I don't
think" which she repeated so often was, of course, of no avail to
her. Sir Harry would be angry, and Lady Albury would be disgusted,
were she to go,--and so she remained. There was to be a week before
Colonel Stubbs would come, and she was to remain not only for the
week but also for some short time afterwards,--so that there might
be yet a few days left of hunting under the Colonel. It could
not, surely, have been doubtful to her after she had read that
letter,--with the postscript,--that if she remained her happiness
would be insured! He would not have come again and insisted on
her being there to receive him if nothing were to come of it. And
yet she had fought for permission to return to Kingsbury Crescent
after her little fashion, and had at last yielded, as she told Lady
Albury,--because Sir Harry seemed to wish it. "Of course he wishes
it," said Lady Albury. "He has go