"I suppose so. Reigning at Hartledon must be something like a glimpse of Paradise to her. She won't quit it in a hurry." "I wonder you like to have her there." "I know I shall never have courage to tell her to go," was the candid and characteristic answer. "I was afraid of her as a boy, and I'm not sure but I'm afraid of her still." "I don't like her--I don't like either of them," said Anne in a low tone. "Don't you like Maude?" "No. I am sure she is not true. To my mind there is something very false about them both." "I think you are wrong, Anne; certainly as regards Maude." Miss Ashton did not press her opinion: they were his relatives. "But I should have pitied poor Edward had he lived and married her," she said, following out her thoughts. "I was mistaken when I thought Maude cared for Edward," observed Lord Hartledon. "I'm sure I did think it. I used to tell Edward so; but a day or two after he died I found I was wrong. The dowager had been urging Maude to like him, and she could not, and it made her miserable." "Did Maude tell you this?" inquired Anne; her radiant eyes full of surprise. "Not Maude: she never said a word to me upon the subject. It was the dowager." "Then, Val, she must have said it with an object in view. I am sure Maude did love him. I know she did." He shook his head. "You are wrong, Anne, depend upon it. She did not like him, and she and her mother were at variance upon the point. However, it is of no moment to discuss it now: and it might never have come to an issue had Edward lived, for he did not care for her; and I dare say never would have cared for her." Anne said no more. It was of no moment as he observed; but she retained her own opinion. They strolled to the end of the short walk in silence, and Anne said she must go in. "Am I quite forgiven?" whispered Lord Hartledon, bending his head down to her. "I never thought I had very much to forgive," she rejoined, after a pause. "My darling! I mean by your father." "Ah, I don't know. You must talk to him. He knows we have been writing to each other. I think he means to trust you." "The best plan will be for you to come soon to Hartledon, Anne. I shall never go wrong when once you are my wife." "Do you go so very wrong now?" she asked. "On my honour, no! You need not doubt me, Anne; now or ever. I have paid up what I owed, and will take very good care to keep out of trouble for the future. I incurred debts for others, more than for myself, and have bought experience dearly. My darling, surely you can trust me now?" "I always did trust you," she murmured. He took a long, fervent kiss from her lips, and then led her to the open lawn and across to the house. "Ought you to come in, Percival?" "Certainly. One word, Anne; because I may be speaking to the Rector--I don't mean to-night. You will make no objection to coming soon to Hartledon?" "I can't come, you know, as long as Lady Kirton is its mistress," she said, half seriously, half jestingly.