She did not answer, but she took his hand and laid it against her cheek. It was the action of a slave--a beautiful and exquisitely-graceful woman, but a slave. He drew his hand away and winced with remorse. "Come," he said, bending over her, "let me tell them that it shall be next month." "So soon?" she murmured. "Yes," he said, almost impatiently. "Why should we wait? They are all impatient. I am impatient, naturally, but they all wish it. Let it be next month, Lenore." She looked up at him. "Very well," she said, in a low voice. He bent over her, and put his arm round her, and there was something almost desperate in his face as he looked up at her. "Lenore," he said, in a low voice, "I wish, to Heaven I wish I were worthy of you!" "Hush!" she whispered, "you are too good to me. I am quite content, Leycester--quite content." Then, as her head rested on his shoulder, she whispered, "There is only one thing, Leycester, I should like----" She paused. "What is it, Lenore?" "It is about the place," she said. "You will not mind where it takes place, will you? I do not want to be married at Wyndward." This was so exactly in accordance with his own wishes that he started. "Not at Wyndward!" he said, hesitating. "Why?" She was silent a moment. "Fancy," she said, with a little rippling laugh. "Fancies are permitted one at such times, you know." "Yes, yes," he said. "I know my mother and father would wish it to be there--or in London." "Nor in London," she said, almost quickly. "Leycester, why should it not be here?" He was silent. This again would be in accordance with his own desire. "I should like a quiet wedding," she said. "Oh! very quiet." "You!" he exclaimed, incredulously. "You, whose marriage would at any time have so much interest for the world in which you have moved--reigned, rather!" She laughed again. "It has always been one of my day-dreams to steal away to church with the man I loved, and be married without the usual fuss and formality." He looked at her with a gleam of pleasure and relief in his eyes, little dreaming that it was for his sake she had made the proposal. "How strange!" he muttered. "It--well, it is unlike what one fancies of you, Lenore." "Perhaps," she said, with a smile, "but it is true, nevertheless. If I may choose, I would like to go down to the little church there, and be married like a farmer's daughter, or, if not that exactly, as quietly as possible." He rose and stood looking out of the window, thoughtfully. "I shall never understand you, Lenore." he said; "but this pleases me very much indeed. It has always been my day-dream, as you call it,"--he smothered a sigh. "Certainly it shall be as you wish! Why should it not be?" "Very well," she said; "then that is agreed. No announcements, no fuss, no St. George's, Hanover Square, and no bishop!" and she rose and laughed softly. He looked at her, and smiled.