ake by talking of myself." Having
appealed to her indulgence by that act of submission, he ventured on
another distant allusion to the man whom he hated and feared. "Shall I
meet any friends of yours," he resumed, "when I return on Monday?"

"What do you mean?"

"I only meant to ask if Mr. Wyvil expects any new guests?"

As he put the question, Cecilia's voice was heard behind them, calling
to Emily. They both turned round. Mr. Wyvil had joined his daughter and
her two friends. He advanced to meet Emily.

"I have some news for you that you little expect," he said. "A telegram
has just arrived from Netherwoods. Mr. Alban Morris has got leave of
absence, and is coming here to-morrow."

CHAPTER XLIV. COMPETING.

Time at Monksmoor had advanced to the half hour before dinner, on
Saturday evening.

Cecilia and Francine, Mr. Wyvil and Mirabel, were loitering in the
conservatory. In the drawing-room, Emily had been considerately left
alone with Alban. He had missed the early train from Netherwoods; but
he had arrived in time to dress for dinner, and to offer the necessary
explanations.

If it had been possible for Alban to allude to the anonymous letter, he
might have owned that his first impulse had led him to destroy it, and
to assert his confidence in Emily by refusing Mr. Wyvil's invitation.
But try as he might to forget them, the base words that he had read
remained in his memory. Irritating him at the outset, they had ended
in rousing his jealousy. Under that delusive influence, he persuaded
himself that he had acted, in the first instance, without due
consideration. It was surely his interest--it might even be his duty--to
go to Mr. Wyvil's house, and judge for himself. After some last wretched
moments of hesitation, he had decided on effecting a compromise with
his own better sense, by consulting Miss Ladd. That excellent lady did
exactly what he had expected her to do. She made arrangements which
granted him leave of absence, from the Saturday to the Tuesday
following. The excuse which had served him, in telegraphing to Mr.
Wyvil, must now be repeated, in accounting for his unexpected appearance
to Emily. "I found a person to take charge of my class," he said; "and I
gladly availed myself of the opportunity of seeing you again."

After observing him attentively, while he was speaking to her, Emily
owned, with her customary frankness, that she had noticed something in
his manner which left her not quite