The doctor drove back to Wimpole Street, where he had a long talk at the panel with Robert Millet, and the result was that they were both satisfied as to the identity of the elder natural brother of John Huish, whose aim through life seemed to have been to take advantage of his extraordinary resemblance, and to improve it by copying Huish's dress, carriage, very habits in fact, and using them to the injury of the younger brother, whom he bitterly hated for occupying the position that should have been his. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Miles away in the pleasant Surrey lane John Huish lay in happy ignorance of the fate of the man who had been his bitterest foe. He was very weak; but an awful load had been taken from his brain--the dread of insanity--and beside his bed knelt Gertrude, holding his hand with both of hers, and humbly asking his forgiveness for the doubts she had had. "My darling!" he whispered, as he laid his other hand upon her soft, fair hair. "I am so happy, and life seems so bright before me that I cannot bear for you to lay one cloud upon its sunshine. Why, Gertrude, you might easily be deceived, when his presence, and the knowledge of such an existence, nearly drove me mad. There, little one, try and nurse me back to strength, for I have the hope now that nothing can take away. But if I die--" he said sadly, as he gazed out of the window. "John--husband!" "Yes, sweet," he sighed, "if I die, remember I have been yours, and yours alone. Let no other hand touch me after death." "Husband!" cried Gertrude, in an agonised voice. "But no; you shall not die. John, darling, live for my sake--for the sake of our little child." Volume 3, Chapter XVIII. THE EVENTS OF TWO YEARS. Two years slipped rapidly away, and society rolled on as usual. Many events had taken place, some of which had had their special interest to the characters in this story. Ruth was thinner than of old, but she looked bright and happy, for the past two years had been very peaceful. She had paid occasional visits to Hampton Court, but Lord Henry's house seemed to be definitely her home, and the old man always treated her as if she were his child. In the course of time various matrimonial speculations were set on foot at Hampton Court to provide Ruth with a rich husband; but as in each case the proposition of her joining a dinner-party where either a wealthy plebeian or an elderly titled _roue_ was to be the honoured guest, was crushed emphatically by Lady Henry Moorpark, who was firm in the extreme, the ladies by degrees gave Ruth's over as a hopeless case, leaving her to the tender mercies of her cousin.