l
continued to stare at the carpet with folded arms. "Well?" she demanded
sharply.

"Well?" he replied in the same tone, and without raising his eyes.

"Is that all you have to say, Noel?"

"I don't see what else I can say. Pine evidently guessed that we loved
one another, although heaven knows that our affection has been innocent
enough, and has taken this way to part us forever."

"Will it part us forever?"

"I think so. As an honorable man, and one who loves you dearly, I can't
expect you to give up two millions for the sake of love in a cottage
with me. It is asking too much."

"Not when a woman loves a man as I love you."

This time Lambert did look up, and his eyes flashed with surprise and
delight. "Agnes, you don't mean to say that you would--"

She cut him short by sitting down beside him and taking his hand. "I
would rather live on a crust with you in the Abbot's Wood Cottage than
in Park Lane a lonely woman with ample wealth."

"You needn't remain lonely long," said Lambert moodily. "Pine's will
does not forbid you to marry any one else."

"Do I deserve that answer, Noel, after what I have just said?"

"No, dear, no." He pressed her hand warmly. "But you must make some
allowance for my feelings. It is right that a man should sacrifice all
for a woman, but that a woman should give up everything for a man seems
wrong."

"Many women do, if they love truly as I do."

"But, Agnes, think what people will say about me."

"That will be your share of the sacrifice," she replied promptly. "If I
do this, you must do that. There is no difficulty when the matter is
looked on in that light. But there is a graver question to be answered."

Lambert looked at her in a questioning manner and read the answer in her
eyes. "You mean about the property of the family?"

"Yes." Agnes heaved a sigh and shook her head. "I wish I had been born a
village girl rather than the daughter of a great house. Rank has its
obligations, Noel. I recognized that before, and therefore married
Hubert. He was a good, kind man, and, save that I lost you, I had no
reason to regret becoming his wife. But I did not think that he would
have put such an insult on me."

"Insult, dear?" Lambert flushed hotly.

"What else can you call this forbidding me to marry you? The will is
certain to be filed at Somerset House, and the contents will be made
known to the public in the usual way, through the newspapers. Then what
will people say, Noe