'He is very fond of Alice. She has done more with him than I ever thought possible. Kept him respectable this whole year, and really it grows on him. He makes ever so much more of her now than when he first brought her home--and no wonder. No, no; he won't fall foul of her.' 'Perhaps not; but it is just as bad, or worse, for her if he falls foul of her daughter. Besides, she is very much attached to her aunt. I wish I knew what the account was, or whether she knows anything about it.' CHAPTER XXI. URSULA'S RECEPTION. 'Thy wish was father, Harry, to that thought.'--SHAKESPEARE. It was at half-past seven o'clock that Ursula Egremont's cab stopped at St. Ambrose's Road. She had missed the express train, and had to come on by a stopping one. But here at last she was, with eyes even by gaslight full of loving recognition, a hand full of her cab-fare, a heart full of throbbing hope and fear, a voice full of anxiety, as she inquired of the astonished servant, 'Louisa, Louisa, how is Aunt Ursel!' and, without awaiting the reply, she opened the adjoining door. There sat, with their evening meal on the table, not only Mary Nugent, but Miss Headworth herself. Nuttie rushed at her, and there was an incoherency of exclamations, the first thing that made itself clear to the senses of the traveller being, 'Ill, my dear? No such thing! Only I had a bad cold, and Mary here is only too careful of me.' 'But Mark said you had bronchitis.' 'What could have put that into his head? He did not write it, surely?' 'He wrote it to Annaple Ruthven, and she told Blanche.' 'Oh!' and Mary Nugent's tone was rather nettling. 'And then it was such a terrible time since we had heard anything,' added Nuttie, on the defensive. 'Did not your mother get my letter?' said Miss Headworth. 'I wrote to her at--what's the name of that place? I hope I addressed it right.' 'Oh, but I was not there. I didn't go with them.' 'Ah, yes, I remember. Then did not she send you?' 'No, I came off this morning. I heard this yesterday evening, and I determined that nothing should stop me if there was no news by the post.' 'Dear child! But will your father not be displeased?' said Miss Headworth. 'He hasn't any right to object,' cried Nuttie, with flashing eyes and a look that made Miss Nugent anxious; but at the moment there could be little thought save of welcome to the warm-hearted girl. Louisa was already brewing fresh tea, and extemporising additions to the meal, and Nuttie was explaining how she hoped to have arrived a couple of hours sooner. 'By the bye, I meant to have written to mother for her to have it to-morrow before leaving Waldicotes. Is there time?'