Impulsive Gentian seized hold of Miss Horatia's hands, and in her pretty foreign fashion which had not altogether left her, lifted them to her lips and kissed them. Miss Horatia drew her hands away with a little laugh. "You didn't offend me. Young people must go their own way nowadays. I couldn't, when I was a girl—more's the pity. And you have gone up several pegs in my estimation by your appreciation of Thorold." "Appreciation!" gasped Gentian. "Why I would die for him! Nobody realizes what I feel for him!" The next day she went over to see Miss Anne, who received her kindly, but a little stiffly. But when Gentian told her contritely how sorry and ashamed she was for having left them in such haste, she was graciously forgiven. "My sister and I have talked it over. We knew you were under our nephew's influence, for he wrote to us about you and told us plainly that he would not let you come back to us. You made a great mistake in going up to town in the first instance, but that you would do. However, all's well that ends well, and I think that Mrs. Wharnecliffe and anyone who cares about you, must feel very thankful for your engagement." "Yes," murmured Gentian; "I'm sure you think it is more than I deserve. But it means a fresh start, and a new life, and a glorious future for me. And I'm going to try and turn into a dowdy, virtuous, old-fashioned wife, so that every one will say: 'How her marriage has improved her! I never should have dreamt that that undisciplined, wilful, giddy girl could have altered so!' I hope you'll say so, dear Miss Anne—oh, do give me your blessing." Miss Anne could no more resist Gentian when she adopted her winning, persuasive tone than anyone else. She promised she would come to her wedding if she were able, and would be glad to see her at any time. And then for the next month Mrs. Wharnecliffe kept her very busy over her trousseau. She wanted to take Gentian for a few weeks to town to shop there, but the girl shrank from it, and said she would much rather get her clothes made locally. "You don't like a place that has made you unhappy. London was not a friend to me. I think she is one of the cities in the world which is pleasant for the workers and business people and the gay idlers, but I'm a betwixt and a between, I'm not exactly a drone, and I'm not a busy bee. I'm just a lover of sunshine and peace and quiet country. Don't smile like that, Mrs. Wharnecliffe. I'm altering a lot as I grow older. I shall love the quietness of that grey Cornish house, and you can't say I don't love the country here. And I'm not going to be a smart, fashionable woman. Thorold loves me in blue, he says he wants me to dress in nothing else, so that's easy. And we're not going to have a smart wedding." "But I shall insist upon a white wedding dress," said Mrs. Wharnecliffe firmly, "and you must have one or two nice evening frocks and some of them not blue."