till I am gone. But when I asked her
whether I ought to stay, or to go, she told me to hold my
tongue, and say nothing further about it. Of course, by
this, she meant that I was to remain, at any rate for the
present.

My own dearest, I do think this will be best, though I
need not tell you how I look forward to leaving this, and
being always with you. For myself I am not a bit afraid,
though Aunt Emmeline said dreadful things about food
and clothes, and all the rest of it. But I believe much
more in what you say, that success will be sure to come.
But still will it not be wise to wait a little longer?
Whatever I may have to bear here, I shall think that I am
bearing it for your dear sake; and then I shall be happy.

Believe me to be always and always your own

LUCY.

This was written and sent on a Wednesday, and nothing further was
said either by Lucy herself, or by her aunt, as to the lover, till
Sir Thomas came down to Merle Park on the Saturday evening. On his
arrival he seemed inclined to be gracious to the whole household,
even including Mr. Traffick, who received any attention of that kind
exactly as though the most amicable arrangements were always existing
between him and his father-in-law. Aunt Emmeline, when it seemed that
she was to encounter no further anger on account of the revelation
which Hamel had made in Lombard Street, also recovered her temper,
and the evening was spent as though there were no causes for serious
family discord. In this spirit, on the following morning, they all
went to church, and it was delightful to hear the flattering words
with which Mr. Traffick praised Merle Park, and everything belonging
to it, during the hour of lunch. He went so far as to make some
delicately laudatory hints in praise of hospitality in general, and
especially as to that so nobly exercised by London merchant-princes.
Sir Thomas smiled as he heard him, and, as he smiled, he resolved
that, as soon as the Christmas festivities should be over, the
Honourable Septimus Traffick should certainly be turned out of that
house.

After lunch there came a message to Lucy by a page-boy, who was
supposed to attend generally to the personal wants of Aunt Emmeline,
saying that her uncle would be glad of her attendance for a walk. "My
dear," said he, "have you got your thick boots on? Then go and put
'em on. We will go down to the Lodge, and then come home round by
Wind