"Then come back with me to-morrow." Lady Sarah had come only on this business, and if the business were completed there would be no legitimate reason for her prolonged sojourn at Brotherton. "Would George come here for one night." "Surely, Mary, you would not drive a bargain with your husband." "But papa!" "Your father can only be anxious for your happiness." "Therefore I must be anxious for his. I can't say that I'll go without asking him." "Then ask him and come in and see me at Alice's house this afternoon. And tell your father that I say you shall be received with all affection." Mary made no promise that she would do even this as Lady Sarah took her leave; but she did at once consult her father. "Of course you can go if you like it, dearest." "But you!" "Never mind me. I am thinking only of you. They will be different to you now that they think you will be the mother of the heir." "Would you take me, and stay there, for one night?" "I don't think I could do that, dear. I do not consider that I have been exactly asked." "But if they will ask you?" "I cannot ask to be asked. To tell the truth I am not at all anxious to be entertained at Manor Cross. They would always be thinking of that fireplace into which the Marquis fell." The difficulty was very great and Mary could not see her way through it. She did not go to Dr. Holdenough's house that afternoon, but wrote a very short note to Lady Sarah begging that George might come over and talk to her. CHAPTER XLVII. "THAT YOUNG FELLOW IN THERE." A day or two after this Lord George did call at the deanery, but stayed there only for a minute or two, and on that occasion did not even speak of Mary's return to Manor Cross. He was considerably flurried, and showed his wife the letter which had caused his excitement. It was from his brother, and like most of the Marquis's letters was very short. "I think you had better come up and see me. I'm not very well. B." That was the entire letter, and he was now on his way to London. "Do you think it is much, George?" "He would not write like that unless he were really ill. He has never recovered from the results of that--accident." Then it occurred to Mary that if the Marquis were to die, and Popenjoy were to die, she would at once be the Marchioness of Brotherton, and that people would say that her father had raised her to the title by--killing the late lord. And it would be so. There was something so horrible in this that she trembled as she thought of it. "Oh, George!" "It is very--very sad." "It was his fault; wasn't it? I would give all the world that he were well; but it was his fault." Lord George was silent. "Oh, George, dear George, acknowledge that. Was it not so? Do you not think so? Could papa stand by and hear him call me such names as that? Could you have done so?" "A man should not be killed for an angry word." "Papa did not mean to kill him!"