A shadow for a moment darkened his face, and then with a very quizzical expression he made me a formal offer of himself and fortune, asking me pointedly if I would accept it—and—and, well, of course, I did what my readers knew I would do when I first told them of the _dark man_ at the theatre—I said _yes_, and promised to return with him to Sunny Bank as soon as my health would permit, which he was positive would be in a very few weeks, for he should be my daily physician, and “love,” he said, “would work miracles.” Thus you see we were engaged—_Richard and I_! CHAPTER XXIX. HUMAN NATURE. The sun had set on Cedar Grove, and together on the broad, airy piazza sat Mrs. Lansing and Ada, rather impatiently waiting for Richard, whom they had not seen since he left them so abruptly in the morning. Greatly relieved at the absence of one whom she had in a measure dreaded as a rival, Ada began to hope that the conquest of her guardian would now be a comparatively easy matter, and as she knew the effect which a pretty face and a becoming dress had upon him, she had spent a great deal of time upon this evening’s toilet, and looked unusually young and handsome in her pale blue tissue, with her soft curls falling over her white uncovered neck. That day she had talked a long time with Mrs. Lansing, who had not only expressed her willingness to receive her as a sister, but had also promised to do whatever she could to forward the matter. Believing Mrs. Lansing to have far more influence over her brother than she really had, Ada began to entertain hopes of soon becoming a bride, and when she thought no one could see her, actually wrote upon a card, “Mr. and Mrs. R. Delafield,” just to see how it would look! It looked well, she thought, and smoothing from her brow a frown which had been caused by her finding among her waving tresses a long white hair, she went down to the piazza to await Richard’s coming. “He has not been here since morning, and I am sure he’ll come to-night. You know he has latterly been a most constant visitor,” remarked Mrs. Lansing. “Yes, but possibly the attraction which kept him so much here is gone,” faintly suggested Ada. “Fie!” returned Mrs. Lansing, with a toss of her head. “I know Richard better than that, and though he may at one time have felt a slight interest in Miss Lee, I am positive ’tis nothing serious, or lasting. Only think of it, Richard Delafield marry my _governess_, a poor _schoolmistress_! What _would_ his fashionable acquaintance in Augusta and Charleston say, setting aside our friends in New Orleans!” And on the proud woman’s face there was a sneer at the very idea of her brother’s thus disgracing himself.