“Certainly I did. You do not suppose I could sit tamely by and listen to all their remarks and surmises without making an effort to silence them, do you?” “But it was very brave and noble in you—few would have braved public opinion like that,” and she lifted her red lips to give him a voluntary kiss of gratitude. “What had I to brave, my darling? I shall be proud to call you by that dearest name in the world—wife; and since they all know now that I mean to make you such, they cannot say that you have run away with me. We will go to London to-day. I will get a special license, and you shall be my wife to-morrow.” “But—but——” she began, with a troubled face. “No, dear,” he interrupted smiling, as he read her thought, “you shall not go alone with me. My old nurse and her daughter shall go with us to make everything proper. Nurse Clum will do anything in the world for me, and keep any secret I intrust to her. Milly, her daughter, has long been trying to get a situation as lady’s maid, and we will make one for her at once, thus doing a charitable deed, as well as make ourselves happy. In a week’s time, less if you desire, we will return to Vallingham Hall, claim our property, and right that other wrong; while with me by your side, you will be freed from the possibility of insult from any one. Will you go with me, dear?” “But you have relatives, I fear——” “I am my own master, my darling, and no one can say me nay upon this most vital point,” he replied, gravely, yet with decision. “I will go with you, Adrian,” she said, simply. “Bless you, my own!” he exclaimed, joyfully, then added, in tones of regret: “It is not a fitting way to wed you, I know—not as I had fondly hoped it would be, when I planned to lead you before my friends, and wed you openly, as befits your station and mine; but,” he added lightly, “when once we are settled we will make a great feast, and all shall do honor to my wife. But we must not delay longer if we would escape observation. But, first, I have something for you—I brought it last evening.” He then took the ring from his pocket and put it upon her finger, saying as he did so: “There, that seals our vows so far.” He then took his cloak from his own shoulders, and, wrapping it closely around her, led her by an unfrequented path to the spot where he had left his carriage. He drove directly to Nurse Clum’s, where, giving his betrothed into Milly’s hands to be fed and cared for, he secured a private interview with the former, told her his plans, and what he thought necessary of the circumstances which seemed to make them advisable. The faithful old nurse shook her head when he told her that he was braving his grandfather’s displeasure; but she saw he was determined upon the course he had marked out, and she could not say him nay. Milly was delighted at the prospect of being lady’s maid to a bride, and was charmed with the sweet lady who was to be Master Adrian’s wife.