."

Marion said nothing, and Ada slowly replaced the gems, lingering long
over the cross, little thinking it was to be the bane of her cousin's
life.

Book 1, Chapter II.

UNDER THE SHADOW.

Ada Lee was right: there was a good deal of the Spanish grandee in the
aspect of Sir Murray Gernon, who traced back his pedigree to the old
Norman days, when, as a recompense for the service of the stout knight,
Sir Piers Gernon, his squire, and so many men-at-arms, William gave him
the pleasant lands whereon he built his castle, overlooking many an acre
of Lincolnshire fen-land--a castle that gave place, in Tudor days, to
the fine, square, massive, and roomy building, which still retained the
name as well as the broad moat. Sir Murray entered the rectory
drawing-room, tall, swarthy, and haughty of bearing, and was chatting
graciously to the parents of his intended bride, when she entered the
apartment.

To a careless observer the morning's sadness had all departed, and
courtly lover could not have been better satisfied with his greeting as
Marion crossed the room to meet him, placing both her hands in his, and
looking up in his proud face as much as to say, "I am soon to be yours--
be gentle with me."

Sir Murray took the hands with quite a protective air, smiling down upon
the face, which he saluted with a lordly kiss upon the white forehead;
and then, apparently well satisfied with the lady so soon to grace his
table, he led her to a chair beside Ada, and in a somewhat cumbersome
fashion began to chat about the morning's proceedings.

"Studying dress I presume we should have been?" said Ada. "But we were
away by the edge of the marsh, botanising, for half the day. Poor
Marion has been taking a farewell of her favourite pursuit," she added,
laughingly.

"I don't see that at all," said Sir Murray. "I admire natural history,
and shall hope that Lady Gernon will prove a kind and patient
instructress."

"I think it was reserved for us at our return to find our brightest
specimens, though," said Marion, turning her large, dreamy eyes upon the
baronet. "I have to thank you for your present, Murray."

"Oh, don't talk about it--wear it," was the response. "They are the old
family jewels reset. I thought you would like them better modernised."

The dinner passed off quietly. Sir Murray Gernon, who prided himself
upon his birth, lineage, and wealth, taking matters in a courtly manner,
considering that it would be unbe