e would have parted with any treasure on earth rather
than that.

But his question had suddenly disturbed Beatrice. For a moment her
thoughts flew to the sea shore at Knutsford. The present faded from
her; she saw Hugh Fernely's face as it looked when he offered her the
beautiful lily. The very remembrance of it made her shudder as though
seized with deathly cold--and Lord Airlie saw it.

"You are cold," he said; "how careless I am to keep you standing here!"
He helped her to draw the costly lace shawl around her shoulders, and
Beatrice was quickly herself again, and they returned to the ball room;
but Lord Airlie lingered by Miss Earle.

"You have enjoyed the ball, Beatrice," said Lord Earle, as he bade his
daughters good night.

"I have, indeed, papa," she replied. "This has been the happiest
evening of my life."

"I can guess why," thought Lord Earle, as he kissed the bright face
upraised to him; "there will be no wretched underhand love business
there."

He was not much surprised on the day following when Lord Airlie was the
first morning caller, and the last to leave, not going until Lady
Helena told him that they should all be at the opera that evening and
should perhaps see him there. He regretted that he had promised Lady
Morton his box for the night, when Lady Earle felt herself bound to ask
him to join them in theirs.

All night Beatrice had dreamed of the true, noble face which began to
haunt her. She, usually so regardless of all flattery, remembered
every word Lord Airlie had spoken. Could it be true, as Lady Everton
had said, that he cared for her?

Her lover would have been spared many anxious hours could he have seen
how the golden blossoms were tended and cared for. Long afterward they
were found with the little treasures which young girls guard so
carefully.

When Lord Airlie had taken his departure and Lord Earle found himself
alone with his mother, he turned to her with the happiest look she had
ever seen upon his face.

"That seems to me a settled affair," he said. "Beatrice will make a
grand countess--Lady Airlie of Lynnton. He is the finest young fellow
and the best match in England. Ah, mother, my folly might have been
punished more severely. There will no mesalliance there."

"No," said Lady Earle, "I have no fears for Beatrice; she is too proud
ever to do wrong."

Chapter XXV

It was a pretty love story, although told in crowded London ball rooms
instead of un