of Kate
O'Hara,--as he had also.

"I must return. I came away at a moment's notice."

"But you have written about leaving the regiment."

"Yes;--I have done that. In the peculiar circumstances I don't suppose
they will want me to serve again. Indeed I've had a letter, just a
private note, from one of the fellows at the Horse Guards explaining all
that."

"I don't see why you should go at all;--indeed I do not."

"What am I to do about my things? I owe some money. I've got three or
four horses there. My very clothes are all about just as I left them
when I came away."

"Any body can manage all that. Give the horses away."

"I had rather not give away my horses," he said laughing. "The fact is I
must go." She could urge nothing more to him on that occasion. She did
not then mention the existence of Kate O'Hara. But he knew well that she
was thinking of the girl, and he knew also that the activity of Lady
Mary Quin had not slackened. But his aunt, he thought, was more afraid
of him now that he was the Earl than she had been when he was only the
heir; and it might be that this feeling would save him from the mention
of Kate O'Hara's name.

To some extent the dowager was afraid of her nephew. She knew at least
that the young man was all-powerful and might act altogether as he
listed. In whatever she might say she could not now be supported by the
authority of the Lord of Scroope. He himself was lord of Scroope; and
were he to tell her simply to hold her tongue and mind her own business
she could only submit. But she was not the woman to allow any sense of
fear, or any solicitude as to the respect due to herself, to stand in
the way of the performance of a duty. It may be declared on her behalf
that had it been in her nephew's power to order her head off in
punishment for her interference, she would still have spoken had she
conceived it to be right to speak.

But within her own bosom there had been dreadful conflicts as to that
duty. Lady Mary Quin had by no means slackened her activity. Lady Mary
Quin had learned the exact condition of Kate O'Hara, and had sent the
news to her friend with greedy rapidity. And in sending it Lady Mary
Quin entertained no slightest doubt as to the duty of the present Earl
of Scroope. According to her thinking it could not be the duty of an
Earl of Scroope in any circumstances to marry a Kate O'Hara. There are
women, who in regard to such troubles as now existed at Ardkill cottage,