at countess's house
that you'll forget all about Allington."

"Of course I shall," said he.

"And the paper you write upon will be all over coronets,--that is, if
ever you do write. Perhaps you will to Bernard some day, just to show
that you are staying at a castle."

"You certainly don't deserve that he should write to you," sad Mrs
Dale.

"I don't expect it for a moment,--not till he gets back to London
and finds that he has nothing else to do at his office. But I should
so like to see how you and Lady Julia get on together. It was quite
clear that she regarded you as an ogre; didn't she, Bell?"

"So many people are ogres to Lady Julia," said Bell.

"I believe Lady Julia to be a very good woman," said Mrs Dale, "and I
won't have her abused."

"Particularly before poor Bernard, who is her pet nephew," said Lily.
"I dare say Adolphus will become a pet too when she has been a week
with him at Courcy Castle. Do try and cut Bernard out."

From all which Mrs Dale learned that some care which had sat heavy
on Lily's heart was now lightened, if not altogether removed. She
had asked no questions of her daughter, but she had perceived during
the past few days that Lily was in trouble, and she knew that such
trouble had arisen from her engagement. She had asked no questions,
but of course she had been told what was Mr Crosbie's income, and
had been made to understand that it was not to be considered as
amply sufficient for all the wants of matrimony. There was little
difficulty in guessing what was the source of Lily's care, and as
little in now perceiving that something had been said between them by
which that care had been relieved.

After that they all rode, and the afternoon went by pleasantly. It
was the last day indeed, but Lily had determined that she would not
be sad. She had told him that he might go now, and that she would
not be discontented at his going. She knew that the morrow would be
very blank to her; but she struggled to live up to the spirit of her
promise, and she succeeded. They all dined at the Great House, even
Mrs Dale doing so upon this occasion. When they had come in from the
garden in the evening, Crosbie talked more to Mrs Dale than he did
even to Lily, while Lily sat a little distant, listening with all her
ears, sometimes saying a low-toned word, and happy beyond expression
in the feeling that her mother and her lover should understand each
other. And it must be understood that Crosbie a