could hardly understand, when, the words being repeated almost
imploringly, the reply was, "Yes."

"I am at your service, Lady Gernon," said Sir Murray at that moment,
when, once more, embracing the child, Lady Gernon kissed her cousin with
the same old tenderness as of yore, turning the next moment to offer her
hand, with a sad, quiet smile, to Philip Norton, who led her to the
carriage; and then it all seemed to him to have been a dream, while the
sound of the carriage-wheels, fast subsiding into a murmur, were but a
part of the imaginings of his troubled brain. But the next instant he
had started back to the reality, for his wife was gazing anxiously in
his troubled face, when, as his eyes met hers, his old quiet smile came
back, and, catching the boy in his arms, he made the little fellow shout
with glee as he galloped him round the garden, to return with flushed
face and tumbled hair to his watching wife.

"Philip?" she said, looking up at him inquiringly.

"My love," he said, tenderly.

"You have something to say to me, have you not?"

"No," he said, quietly; "unless it is--better friends than enemies."

Mrs Norton said no more; but there was a pang at her heart, for she
felt that her husband was keeping something from her.

Book 1, Chapter XIII.

BROODING.

People said that Lady Gernon had benefited by the change--that Italy
could not have agreed with her--for day by day she seemed to be casting
off the dull, heavy languor that oppressed her. There was still a quiet
sadness pervading every movement; but Sir Murray, without hearing
people's remarks, noted for himself that she took more interest in the
affairs of daily life: in place of disliking company, she now gladly met
his wishes, concerning dinner or breakfast party. In fact, there was a
complete change; but it gave no pleasure to her husband, for he watched
her with jaundiced eyes, saying nothing, but followed her every movement
uneasily. Even the apparent increase of affection she displayed towards
him was distasteful; and he grew in private moody and dissatisfied. But
only in private, for he told himself that he had a duty to perform--one
which demanded all watchfulness and care, and sternly he set himself to
that duty.

The intimacy with the Nortons grew daily more close, and they dined
several times at the Castle, the old warm affection between the two
cousins growing stronger than ever. Both Lady Gernon and Mrs Norton
viewed with sati