Four hours later, when supper was over, and Aunt Nancy in the "chamber" had been visited by the affianced pair, and all matters had been discussed, and Unity at the harpsichord had sung without protest a number of very sentimental songs, and Deb had gone unwillingly to bed, and first one uncle and then the other had thoughtfully faded from the drawing-room, and good-night, when it came to be said in the moonlit porch, took ten minutes to say, and the boy who brought around the visitor's horse had caught with a grin and a "Thank'e, sah!" the whirling silver dollar, and Major Edward's voice had sounded from the hail door behind Unity, "Good-night, Fair; bring Ludwell with you to-morrow night," and Unity had echoed softly, "Yes, bring Ludwell," and the last wave of the hand had been given, Fairfax Cary cantered down the driveway and through the lower gates. Out upon the red highway he put his horse to the gallop, and rode with his bared head high to the wind and the stars of night. At Greenwood there was but one light burning. He saw it half a mile from the house, lost it, then caught it again, crowning like a star the low hilltop. Bending from the saddle, he opened the gate, passed through, and rode on beneath the oaks to the house door. The light shone from the library. When a negro had taken his horse, the younger Cary entered to find his brother sitting before a mass of books and papers, wine on the table, and a favourite dog asleep upon the hearth. "You are late," said the elder, looking up with a smile. "Fontenoy, of course?" "Fontenoy, of course. Ludwell, I've won!" The elder brother pushed back his chair, rose, and, going to the younger, put both hands upon his shoulders. "Fair. I'm glad! I told you that you would. She's the loveliest black-eyed lady--and as for you, you deserve your fortune! _Monsieur mon frère_, I make you my congratulations!" "What a blaze of light you've got in here! All the way home my horse's hoofs were saying, _Unity Cary--Unity Cary_." Ludwell laughed. "You're drunk with joy. The room is not brightly lit. Sit down and tell me all about it." "'Twas underneath the catalpa tree. We quarrelled--" "As usual." "Page had been there, reading aloud,--reading Eloïsa to Abelard." "Oh!" "We quarrelled. I said good-bye forever, and walked away. She came after me over the grass. Ludwell, to hold the woman that you love in your arms, close, close--" "I can guess 'twas bliss. And then?" "Heaven still--only quieter. We went back to the bench under the catalpa." "Happy tree! And I never thought it a poetic growth--the flowers are so sticky! Now Unity shall plant one at Greenwood." "'Unity'! Isn't it sweet to say just 'Unity'?" The other laughed again. "I think you are a very satisfactory lover! And when's the marriage, Fair?" "Not for a whole year--she won't marry me for a whole year to come!" "Why, that's too long," said the elder kindly. "What reason?"