Lord Dunforth had stipulated that he was to be one of the party whenever they went to Vallingham Hall, consequently they stopped and took him up on their way. “You will need me,” he had said, “to help prove your property; and since I purchased some of the jewels myself, and have seen them all, I can identify them in case they should attempt to contest your right. Besides, we may as well finish the whole business at once, and I’ll call Helen to account for her part in the drama of my life.” They arrived at Vallingham Hall about four o’clock, and Lady Randal came to the drawing-room, all smiles, to receive them. She had recently heard who Brownie was, and of the sudden change in her prospects, so she adopted the _rôle_ of ignoring all the “scandalous circumstances” of their marriage which had so shocked her, and was exceedingly gracious to them. It would be very unwise, she reasoned, to have any falling out with the future Lord and Lady Dunforth. “How kind of you,” she exclaimed, “to come to us; we ought to have called upon you when we were in London, but we were so hurried with preparations for the wedding that we had no time. And really we were tired out with our trip. You received our cards for the ceremony on Wednesday, I suppose?” she concluded. “Yes, we received them,” Adrian replied, then added, “but we called to-day to see Mrs. Coolidge and Miss Isabel upon a little matter of business.” “I presume they will be delighted to see you. The _trousseau_ has just arrived, and we were examining it just as you came. It is perfectly elegant, I assure you, Mrs. Dredmond, and I presume Isabel will take you up to see it; I only hope we shall have a fine day, and that everything will pass off well. How very romantic your marriage was, my dear,” she ran on, heedless of Lord Dunforth’s threatening looks; “we were very much distressed about your sudden disappearance, and I must say, Adrian, you played your part that evening exceedingly well,” and she laughed slyly. “Played my part well! I do not understand you, madam,” Adrian returned, astonished at the accusation. “You do not understand, indeed! when you knew all the time where she was, and took her away the very next day to marry her. Really, it is quite an unparalleled case.” “Lady Randal,” the young man said, sternly, as he saw Brownie’s delicate face flush painfully at these insinuations, “at any other time I should deem your words an unpardonable insult, for I knew no more than yourself where Miss Douglas was at that time; but if you will have the kindness to notify your guests that we wish to see them, that matter, as well as some others, will soon be satisfactorily explained.” Lady Randal colored with displeasure at his words, but she rang the bell, and sent the servant, who appeared, to tell Isabel and her mother that there were callers for them. At Adrian’s request she did not send their names, as he feared they might refuse to see them.