the trouble to follow and meet with me had he learnt to think me other
than a lady. It is extremity of devotion--that's all.'

It was not Ethelberta's inexperience, but that her conception of self
precluded such an association of ideas, which led her to dismiss the
surmise that his attendance could be inspired by a motive beyond that of
paying her legitimate attentions as a co-ordinate with him and his in the
social field. Even if he only meant flirtation, she read it as of that
sort from which courtship with an eye to matrimony differs only in
degree. Hence, she thought, his interest in her was not likely, under
the ordinary influences of caste feeling, to continue longer than while
he was kept in ignorance of her consanguinity with a stock proscribed.
She sighed at the anticipated close of her full-feathered towering when
her ties and bonds should be uncovered. She might have seen matters in a
different light, and sighed more. But in the stir of the moment it
escaped her thought that ignorance of her position, and a consequent
regard for her as a woman of good standing, would have prevented his
indulgence in any course which was open to the construction of being
disrespectful.

Valognes, Carentan, Isigny, Bayeux, were passed, and the train drew up at
Caen. Ethelberta's intention had been to stay here for one night, but
having learnt from Lord Mountclere, as previously described, that this
was his destination, she decided to go on. On turning towards the
carriage after a few minutes of promenading at the Caen station, she was
surprised to perceive that Lord Mountclere, who had alighted as if to
leave, was still there.

They spoke again to each other. 'I find I have to go further,' he
suddenly said, when she had chatted with him a little time. And
beckoning to the man who was attending to his baggage, he directed the
things to be again placed in the train.

Time passed, and they changed at the next junction. When Ethelberta
entered a carriage on the branch line to take her seat for the remainder
of the journey, there sat the viscount in the same division. He
explained that he was going to Rouen.

Ethelberta came to a quick resolution. Her audacity, like that of a
child getting nearer and nearer a parent's side, became wonderfully
vigorous as she approached her destination; and though there were three
good hours of travel to Rouen as yet, the heavier part of the journey was
past. At her aunt's would be