He gave his card to the Master, and followed the woman, keeping her constantly under his hand and eye until they returned to Annabel's parlour. Annabel was in a dead sleep; but their entrance awakened her, and it pained Piers to see the look of fear that came into her face when she saw her cruel tormentor. She was speedily relieved, however; for the first words she heard, was an order from Piers, bidding her to be ready to leave the house in twenty minutes. He took out his watch as he gave the order, and then added, "First of all, return to me my ring." "I did not take your ring, my lord." "You have it in your possession. Return it at once." "Miss Vyner stole it--" "Give it to me! You know the consequences of _one_ more refusal." Then Justine took from her purse the long missing ring. She threw it on the table, and, with tears of rage, said,-- "May ill-luck and false love go with it, and follow all who own it!" "The bad wishes of the wicked fall on themselves, Justine," said Lord Exham, as he lifted the trinket. "How much money does your mistress owe you?" "I have no 'mistress.' Miss Vyner owes me a quarter's wage, and a quarter's notice, that is eight pounds." "Is that correct, Annabel?" "The woman says so. Pay her what she wants--only get her out of my sight." "Oh, Miss, I can tell you--" "Go. Pack your trunk, and be back here in fifteen minutes. And, mind what I say, leave England at once--the sooner the better." Before the time was past, the woman was outside the gates of Richmoor House, and Piers returned to Annabel. "That trouble is all over and gone forever," he said to her; "now, dear Bella, lift up your heart to its full measure of love and joy! Let Cecil see you to-night in your old beauty. He is fretting about your health; show him the marvellously bright Annabel that captured his heart with a glance." "I will! I will, Piers! This very night you shall see that Annabel is herself again." "And in three days you are to be Cecil's wife!" "In three days," she echoed joyfully. "Leave me now, Piers. I want to think over your goodness to me. I shall never forget it." Smiling, they parted; and then Annabel opened all the doors of her rooms, and looked carefully around them, and assured herself that her tyrant was really gone. "In three days!" she said, "in three days I am going away from all this splendour and luxury,--going to dangers of all kinds; to a wild life in camps and quarters; perhaps to deprivations in lonely places--and I am happy! Happy! transcendently happy! Oh, Love! Wonderful, Invincible, Omnipotent Love! Cecil's love! It will be sufficient for all things."