"My darling," he said, gently, "you shall have all the love, the care, the affection that a father can show his child--you shall have everything your heart desires and wishes for, if you will do one thing in return." "I will do anything in return," she said. And for once there was something like deep feeling in her voice. "I want you to be kind to this wife of mine, Doris. She is not very strong: she has been petted and spoiled all her life. Be kind to her as though--as though you were her own child, or her own younger sister. Will you, Doris? Promise me that, and you will give me the greatest happiness that it is in your power to confer upon me." "I do promise," cried Doris. "I cannot say that I will love her as my mother, but I will be everything that is gentle and obedient." "Thank you, my darling! Only do that, and you will see what return I will make to you. There is another thing, Doris, I wish to speak to you about. You heard and agreed with what I said to Mrs. Brace, that I wish your lover, Earle Moray, to understand that I shall consider the engagement between you as binding as though you had always remained at the farm." "You are very kind, papa," she said; but this time there was no ring of truth and tenderness in her voice. "It is but just, Doris. I shall make his advancement in the world my chief study. Money can be no object in your marriage--you will in all probability have a large fortune--still I should like the man you marry to hold some position in the world. From what you tell me of Earle Moray, I should imagine that he is a man of great talent. If so, there can be little difficulty." "He has something more than talent," said Doris, proudly; "he has genius." "My dear child, you will know, when you are as old as I am, that talent and industry are worth any amount of genius." "I am sure that he has industry, papa," she said. "Then, if he has industry and genius, his fortune is sure," said the earl. "As soon as we have a Countess of Linleigh to do the honors, we must ask Earle Moray to come and see us." Of all things, that was what she desired most, that he should see her in her true place, surrounded by all the luxury and magnificence that belonged to her station. It was the strongest wish of her heart. "Can we not ask him before then, papa?" "No; there, you see, Doris, the laws of etiquette and ceremony step in. Until you have some lady to _chaperone_ you, we cannot receive any young gentlemen visitors. That will be one convenience of a step-mother." "Yes," she replied: "but the traditional step-mother generally interferes in the love affairs of the household. However, I feel quite sure Lady Estelle will never interfere with mine." "The Duke of Downsbury goes to Paris this week," continued the earl, "with the duchess and Lady Estelle. I thought of following them." "That will be very nice for you, papa," she said.