on, and all my
innocent actions misrepresented?' I exclaimed indignantly. 'It was not
fair, Mr. Hamilton. I could not have believed it of you, that you should
listen to such things against me. That boy, too!'

'Nonsense!' speaking in his old good-humoured voice, and looking
exceedingly pleased. 'He is five-and-twenty, and a very good-looking
fellow: a girl might do worse for herself than marry Lawrence Tudor.'

'But I intend to have him as my cousin some day,' was my reply; but at
this moment Chatty came in to tell Mr. Hamilton that the boxes were in
the cart, and Miss Darrell waiting in the carriage.

'Confound it! I had forgotten all about Etta,' he returned impatiently.
'Well, it cannot be helped: we must finish our conversation this
evening.' And with a smile that told of restored confidence he went off.

I sat down and cried a little for sheer happiness, for I knew the barrier
was broken at last, and that we should soon arrive at a complete
understanding. It was hard that he should have to leave me just then; and
the thought of resuming the conversation in the evening made me naturally
a little nervous. 'Supposing I go back to the White Cottage,' I thought
once; but I knew he would follow me there, and that it would seem idle
coquetting on my part. It would be more dignified to wait and hear what
he had to say. I should go back to the White Cottage in a day or two.

Gladys came out of her room when she heard the wheels, and proposed that
we should go down into the drawing-room. 'Poor poor Etta!' she sighed. 'I
try to pity and be sorry for her, but it is impossible not to be glad
that she has gone. I want to look at every room, Ursula, and to realise
that I am to have my own lovely home in peace. We must send for Lady
Betty; and Giles must know about Claude. I do not believe that he will
be angry: oh no, nothing will make Giles angry now.'

Max found us very busy in the drawing-room. I was just carrying out a
work-box and a novel that belonged to Miss Darrell, and Gladys had picked
up a peacock-feather screen, and a carved ivory fan, and two or three
little knick-knacks. 'Take them all away, Ursula dear,' she pleaded, with
a faint shudder; but as she put them in my arms there were Max's eyes
watching us from the threshold.

I saw her go up to him as simply as a child, and put her hands in his,
and as I closed the door Max took her in his arms. The peacock screen
fell at my feet, the ivory fan and a hideous lit