The engagement of Craven Black and Lady Wynde, now that it had been declared to Neva, was no longer kept a secret from the world. Mr. Black, in a moment of good-natured condescension, informed his host at the Wyndham inn, and the amazed landlord bruited the story through the village. The engagement was publicly announced in the court papers, Craven Black himself writing the paragraph and procuring its insertion, and this announcement was copied into the Kentish journals. As may be imagined, the news of Lady Wynde’s intended marriage produced quite a sensation in the neighborhood of Hawkhurst. Sir Harold Wynde’s former friends were scandalized that he should have been so soon forgotten by the wife he had idolized, and that a man so palpably inferior to the baronet in character and attributes should have been chosen to take his place. Others, the three guardians of Neva’s property among the number, were ill-pleased that Craven Black should take his place during Neva’s minority as nominal master of Hawkhurst, and accordingly one morning, a fortnight after the publication of the engagement, Sir John Freise, Mr. Atkins, and Lord Towyn, rode over to Hawkhurst, and demanded an interview with Lady Wynde and Neva. Miss Wynde appeared first in the drawing-room, simply dressed in white, and fresh from a ramble in the park. She looked a little worn and troubled, as if her nights were spent more in anxious thoughts than in slumbers, but the radiance of her wonderful red-brown eyes was undimmed, and her face had lost nothing of the piquant witchery which was its chiefest charm. Before time had been granted Neva to more than exchange greetings with her guardians, Lady Wynde entered the room with an indolent languor of motion, and welcomed her visitors with effusion. “This is an unexpected pleasure, gentlemen,” said her ladyship, her black eyes glancing from one to another. “You have come to congratulate me upon the change in my prospects, I dare say. I have been overwhelmed with calls during the past week, and begin to find my connection with an old county family decidedly onerous,” and she laughed softly. “All of Sir Harold’s friends have been to see me, and really I believe that some of them have felt it their duty to condole with Neva upon the misfortune of so soon possessing a step-papa.” The three gentlemen had called for the purpose of discussing with Lady Wynde and Neva the expected change in the prospects of her ladyship, but the quiet audacity of the handsome widow’s speech and manner half-confounded them. Sir John Freise, being the eldest of the party, took upon himself the office of spokesman.