d her mother smiled.

"It seems to me you took a long while to settle the question. I thought
she was never coming."

"Why, mamma? I came as soon as the boat started."

"We have settled our differences," Maurice said, leaning down to speak
quietly to Mrs. Costello. "Do you give us leave to make our own
arrangements for the future?"

"I think you are pretty sure of my leave."

"Then we all go straight on to Hunsdon together?"

"Are those your arrangements?"

"Not mine, certainly," Lucia interposed. "I thought we were to stay in
London."

"But why?"

"Don't you see," Mrs. Costello asked, "that any little compact you two
children may have made has nothing to do with the necessity of my
finding a house for myself and my daughter--as long as she is only my
daughter."

Maurice had to give way a second time.

"Very well then," he said. "At all events you can't forbid me to stay in
London, too."

"But I certainly shall. You may stay and see us settled, but after that
you are to go home and attend to your own affairs."

They reached London by noon, and before night they found, and took
possession of, a lodging which Mrs. Costello said to herself would suit
them very well until Lucia should be married; after which, of course,
she would want to settle near Hunsdon. Maurice spent the evening with
them, but was only allowed to do so on condition of leaving London for
home next morning.

As soon as they were at all settled, Mrs. Costello wrote to her cousin.
She told him that she had had urgent reason for quitting France
suddenly; that other causes had weighed with her in deciding to return
to England, and that she was anxious to see and consult with him. She
begged him, therefore, to come up to town and to bring one at least of
his daughters with him on a visit to Lucia.

When the letter had been sent off, she said to her daughter, "Suppose
that we are penniless in consequence of our flight? What is to done
then?"

"Surely that cannot be?"

"I do not know until I see my cousin. I think it must depend legally on
the terms of your grandfather's will; but, in fact, I suppose George had
the decision in his hands."

After this they both looked anxiously for Mr. Wynter's answer.

CHAPTER XXIV.

But before Mr. Wynter had time to reply.--indeed, by the very first
possible post--came a letter to Lucia, the sight of which made her very
rosy. She had had plenty of letters from Maurice long ago, and never
bl