Bournemouth, where she would be until she
returned to spend Christmas with us.

It was a great wrench, one could see, to Mrs. Gurrage to relinquish
even for this short two months her rule at Ledstone. But she was in so
good a temper with me for what she considered I had done in bringing
Augustus back "to the path of duty" (we have heard no more of Lady
Grenellen) that she bestowed upon me her sceptre with a good grace.

At last the day came when Amelia, carrying the parrot, followed her
into the brougham.

Augustus had preceded them to the station, and with infinite fuss of
maids and footman, and stray card-board boxes, and final directions,
the whole party disappeared down the drive, and I was left standing
on the red-granite steps.

A sudden sense of exaltation came over me.

I was alone for the first time since my wedding!

It would be evening before Augustus could return from seeing them
off in London.

There was almost one whole day. What should I do? Where should I go?

Roy even barked with pleasure.

As I turned back into the house, the butler informed me
Hephzibah--Mrs. Prodgers--was waiting to see me.

Dear old nurse! She comes up rarely. She is radiantly happy with her
grocer's man, and I think it grieves her to see me.

To-day it was to tell me that she had an accident with one of the
Sevres cups, a chip having appeared in the handle.

She almost cried over it.

"Oh! If madam could know!" she said; then, "I dearly wish you would
come back just to see how I have kept things," she added.

"Oh, Hephzibah, I will some day, but do not ask me yet! I--I should
so miss grandmamma."

"You--you're happy, Miss Ambrosine?" she faltered, timidly. "Madam
always knew best, you know. But I had a dream last night of your
father, and he shook his fist at us--right there."

"Papa!" I felt startled. Our settled conviction had been so long that
he was dead. "You dreamed of papa? Oh! Hephzibah, if he should still
be alive!" I cried.

"There, there," she said, uneasily. "It is too late, anyway, my deary,
but he'll understand that we could none of us stand against madam--if
he should come back, ever. He--he--won't blame us."

I did not ask her what he should blame us for--her, poor soul! for
having been unable to keep me with her, free; me for having submitted
to the mutilation of my own life. Would papa blame us for this?

Kind, awkward, abrupt papa!

Hephzibah glanced round the room. It is the first time