"And what are you going to do, my darling?" asked Mr. Grey. "A great many things, Sir. First, I shall practise as soon as ever Land--oh! come here, Land; when can you spare time to come with me to the organ? Not before twelve--very well. I shall read till Land is ready for me, and then--oh! dear Sir, there is Miss Gage on her beautiful grey horse. Oh, Sir! it is not a very hard frost, it is very nearly spring. Will you soon buy me a pony? That is to say a horse, dear uncle; I should look so little on a pony. There is nothing in the world I wish for so much, and it is so long to wait until spring." "But which is it?" said her uncle stroking down her soft thick tresses of hair, "is it a very long, or a very short time till spring?" Margaret paused a little--she wished to make it appear short; but early in February it would not do. "The truth is uncle," said she blushing with the effort, "it is a long time." "Right, my child, the truth!" said Mr. Grey; "you shall have a horse as soon as I can meet with one; only we will not ride him until the weather is a little warmer." Margaret was almost speechless with delight, and had fairly forgotten the presence of Mr. Haveloc, who stood regarding her with a smile of such softened expression, that she would scarcely have recognised him. Miss Gage was riding with her brother, and when they arrived before the house, they pulled up their horses. Hubert Gage dismounted, ran up the hall steps, rang the bell, pushed open the door, and came into the library without any farther ceremony. Mr. Grey welcomed him very warmly. He was very fond of young people, and felt sincere pleasure in seeing him again. Mr. Haveloc came forwards with more animation than Margaret had seen him express, shook hands heartily with Hubert, and remarked that he was very glad their return to England should chance at the same time. "Why did not you tell me he was here?" said Hubert turning to Margaret, "when we were talking over old stories last night?" "I did not know it," replied Margaret. "Well, Bessy will not dismount, it is such a trouble to mount her again," he said; "so she desires me to ask if you will drive out with her after luncheon?" "I shall like it very much--it is very kind of her," said Margaret. "I may, Sir?" "With all my heart, my child," said Mr. Grey. "Ay, I should first have asked your uncle, should not I?" said Hubert laughing. "Have you been out to-day?" "No--not yet." "Oh! bless me, of course it is too early," said he, taking out a diminutive watch, which looked more striking on him than on a person of ordinary dimensions. "I wonder you are up at this hour." "You are keeping Miss Gage in the cold all this time," said Margaret. "So I am, but I cannot get away," he returned, looking archly at her. She wished she could help colouring, but the beautiful crimson stole over her cheeks at the implied compliment.