to these results of Ovid's contemplated marriage the loss of a thousand
a year, secured to the guardian by the Will, while the ward remained
under her care--and the statement of disaster would be complete.
"We must leave this house, and submit to be Lady Northlake's poor
relations--there is the price I pay for it, if Ovid and Carmina become
man and wife."

She quietly laid aside her fan, as the thought in her completed itself
in this form.

The trivial action, and the look which accompanied it, had a sinister
meaning of their own, beyond the reach of words. And Ovid was already on
the sea. And Teresa was far away in Italy.

The clock on the mantelpiece struck five; the punctual parlour-maid
appeared with her mistress's customary cup of tea. Mrs. Gallilee asked
for the governess. The servant answered that Miss Minerva was in her
room.

"Where are the young ladies?"

"My master has taken them out for a walk."

"Have they had their music lesson?"

"Not yet, ma'am. Mr. Le Frank left word yesterday that he would come at
six this evening."

"Does Mr. Gallilee know that?"

"I heard Miss Minerva tell my master, while I was helping the young
ladies to get ready."

"Very well. Ask Miss Minerva to come here, and speak to me."

Miss Minerva sat at the open window of her bedroom, looking out vacantly
at the backs of houses, in the street behind Fairfield Gardens.

The evil spirit was the dominant spirit in her again. She, too, was
thinking of Ovid and Carmina. Her memory was busy with the parting scene
on the previous day.

The more she thought of all that had happened in that short space
of time, the more bitterly she reproached herself. Her one besetting
weakness had openly degraded her, without so much as an attempt at
resistance on her part. The fear of betraying herself if she took leave
of the man she secretly loved, in the presence of his family, had forced
her to ask a favour of Carmina, and to ask it under circumstances which
might have led her rival to suspect the truth. Admitted to a private
interview with Ovid, she had failed to control her agitation; and, worse
still, in her ungovernable eagerness to produce a favourable impression
on him at parting, she had promised--honestly promised, in that moment
of impulse--to make Carmina's happiness her own peculiar care! Carmina,
who had destroyed in a day the hope of years! Carmina, who had taken
him away from her; who had clung round him when he ran upstair