"Oh! Mr. Linchmore!" exclaimed Amy, now indeed feeling utterly desolate at this continued accusation, and belief in her love for Robert Vavasour. "Hush!" he rejoined, gently placing his hand on her soft hair, as she sat with her face bowed in her hands. "Poor girl; poor desolate young creature; your happiness shall be my first care, you shall no longer feel alone; there is no need to tell me anything. I know all that your heart cannot speak, even to your fainting when you saw him brought home the other evening." Amy's sobs burst out afresh; she felt totally unable to stay them or convince Mr. Linchmore he was mistaken. "Well, well," he continued with a sigh, "it cannot be helped now, things must take their course; but with him I _will_ have a reckoning," and the old stern look once more flitted across his face. "But fear not, Miss Neville; for the sake of your love for him, I will be calm and control my anger." "You will not tell him I care for him--love him, Mr. Linchmore? Oh! no, no, you could not do so!" said Amy, with fear. "I will not; that must rest with you alone, with that I can have nothing to do, your future happiness must be made or marred by yourself alone. You need have no fear, but trust; only trust in me, Miss Neville." "And I shall see him, shall speak to him myself--alone?" "You shall do so. He shall hear no word of your love from me." "You promise it, Mr. Linchmore," said Amy, now for the first time raising her eyes to his. "I promise it, Miss Neville, most faithfully." "Thank you! thank you; then all will be right." "I wish, oh! how I wish it could be otherwise," sobbed Amy, as he left her; "but I must not murmur, I must be thankful,--thank God it is no worse than it is; but how can he think that I love him?" Amy felt utterly miserable. Did she deny Vavasour's being the cause of her fainting, would not Mr. Linchmore naturally enough wonder what had been the occasion of it? or perhaps in the end guess of her love for his brother, even as he had supposed it to be for Mr. Vavasour? No, rather let him think anything than that! a thousand times rather. Mr. Linchmore had promised she should see Mr. Vavasour--there was some comfort in that; she could appeal to him, he would be reasoned with, would listen and believe her even if he loved her--if?--Amy began to think there was no need of a doubt, and that it was true he loved her. Why should Mr. Linchmore be deceived? All the latter's warnings, and Mr. Vavasour's kindness were accounted for now; but love her as he would, she could not be his wife. No--even if she had never had a thought for another, it could not have been, and now?--now she would never be any man's wife.