me. "Though, of course, my dear Margaret, Miss Bidwell and I--that is
to say, my future wife and I, for Miss Bidwell is doing me the honour of
becoming my wife on the 9th of next month--will always be pleased to see
you there on very long visits whenever and as often as you like to come."

For it was in that manner that Mr. Anstruther broke the news to Margaret
of his intended marriage to her late governess. As it had already
transpired in conversation with Mrs. Murray, he had spent the last
fortnight in the little German town where Miss Bidwell was staying with
friends and undergoing treatment for her eyes, and it was because he had
given no directions for his letters to be forwarded that Mrs. Murray had
had no answer to the last two she had written him. It was for the purpose
of telling her and Mrs. Murray that he was shortly to be married to Miss
Bidwell that he had come to Windy Gap the previous day and also to learn
if Mrs. Murray would consent to keep his granddaughter with her for some
months longer. However, as he was at some pains to explain to Mrs. Murray
at the sort of family conclave that was being held that morning at
Wrexley Park, "As she has not been with you at all and seeing in what an
ungrateful spirit she treated your kind invitation to her, I cannot
expect you to be willing to receive her into your house. I must therefore
endeavour to make other arrangements for her. I should like to add that
it is in no spirit of vindictiveness towards her that I wish her now to
make her home elsewhere, but because I am convinced that it would not be
for her happiness to reside permanently at Greystones now that her late
governess will be installed there as mistress. Miss Bidwell is a lady of
very strong character and might continue to look upon Margaret as a child
and to treat her as such." He paused for a moment and then added, "I
realise now that a girl of eighteen requires more liberty of thought and
action than I permitted to Margaret."

That was the only admission Mr. Anstruther was ever heard to make that
perhaps his system of education was not as perfect as he had deemed it,
but coming from him it meant a good deal.

But it was then that Lady Strangways had intervened with a suggestion of
her own.

"Let me have her, Mr. Anstruther," she said, "After all, I am her aunt,
and I should like nothing better than to adopt her as my daughter. I have
taken a great fancy to Margaret and she to me. I fancy I could ma