“But I am not a beggar quite yet, my lord; I have my own income,” returned Adrian, proudly, yet smiling, in spite of himself, for his income was no mean one. “Then leave me—begone!” “Sir——” “Not another word, unless you will yield to me!” shouted the earl. “I cannot!” “Then go! Marry your plebian beggar, and never darken Dunforth’s doors again!” “Is that your ultimatum? Have you no sympathy nor mercy?” asked Adrian, growing very white about the mouth, though his eyes gleamed with a lurid light. His lordship caught his breath hard at these questions. Who should have sympathy if not he? But he would not yield. “It is my ultimatum. I have no sympathy with anything like that,” he said, yet the face of his own lost love arose before him at that moment like a phantom. With an inclination of his haughty head, Adrian turned and left the room without another word. CHAPTER XXVIII “HOW CAME YOU HERE?” Lady Ruxley had said truly that Vallingham Hall was full of company, and as Brownie, who sat reading to her ladyship the next morning after their arrival, caught the sound of fresh young voices and silvery laughter, as they floated up through those lofty halls, she felt her own heart grow warm and light, and she found herself longing to mingle with the gay company. Lady Ruxley had tried to prevail upon her to go down the evening previous and enjoy the music and dancing, but the thought of meeting the Coolidges was so repugnant to her that she preferred remaining quietly in her own room, although it was quite a trial, knowing that Viola and Alma were in the same house, and yet not be able to see them. Just before noon Lady Randal came bustling in in great haste, bearing a great box in her hands. “Auntie,” she began, affably, “I want to borrow Miss Dundas for a little while.” “What for?” demanded the old lady sharply, and eying the box suspiciously. She had no idea of having the young girl imposed upon, or made to perform any disagreeable tasks for her exacting niece. “I can’t find an operetta which I had set my heart upon having performed at the _soirée_. I thought I could put my hand upon it at once, but I have mislaid it, and thought it might be among these papers. Charles wants me immediately to arrange the programme, so that I have not time to look for it myself, and I thought perhaps Miss Dundas might be willing to hunt it for me. Will you?” she demanded, turning to Brownie. “Certainly, if Lady Ruxley has no objections,” she answered, quietly. “Well, well, child, you’d never refuse, no matter what anybody asked of you. Put down the box, Helen, and she shall look as soon as she has finished the article she is reading,” Lady Ruxley replied. Lady Randal obeyed. “While you see about it, you may as well arrange the papers orderly; they have been turned over so many times that they are all in a muss,” she said, and then left the room.