"The insolence--the presumption! Look here, sir: if you are not mad, who and what are you, that you dare to come and make such a proposition to me?" "Ah!" said the Doctor, as Lady Pinemount entered, looking anxiously from one to the other, while the visitor advanced to meet her, took her hand, kissed it with courtly grace, and led her to a chair. "I repeat, sir, who and what are you, that you presume to come and sow dissension in my peaceful village--heartburnings in my home? Who are you?" "Your cousin Richard, who died abroad." "What!" roared his lordship. "Impostor, you lie!" "No, sir: you are the impostor, or rather usurper. I grieve to say, madam--Mrs Rolleston--that I am Lord Pinemount, and that your husband has no right whatever here." "I--" "Silence, sir!" said Lord Pinemount, with dignity. "Accept the position, and hear what I have to say." "Is this true, sir?" faltered the lady. "You will know if you listen, madam. Nay, you both must know, by the inquiries that were made before your husband succeeded to the title and estates. I saw all the papers with the advertisements; but I was happy, was rich, and detested England for an old association, and I preferred to remain dead to all who had known me. When at last I did return to England, for my child's sake--a widower--I came down here. The Sandleighs was for sale, and I bought it." There was something like a groan here, and the lady gazed wildly at her husband. "Of course I thought of claiming the title; but I met you and your son, and I said to myself, `Why should I make his family wretched?' Then, as you know, while I was in doubt, Love came and cleared away the difficulty and decided me. If I had claimed the title it would have been for Veronica's sake. Well, Denis loves her; and in due time--a long time hence, if your husband will study his health and not cut his life short by passion and apoplexy--Denis will be My Lord,--my child My Lady. That is enough for me. I am contented to be the Doctor and go on as the naturalist still." "But--but--" faltered the lady. "My husband--Mr Rolleston, if what you say is true--" "He knows it is true. But not Mr Rolleston,--Lord Pinemount still. Madam, I tell you I am very rich, and my wants are very few. The title is nothing to me. Yes, it is--it is my one secret. There, Pinemount, am I an impostor now?" "I am stunned," faltered the bearer of the title. "Bah! that will soon go off. Lady Pinemount, our esteem, I am sure, is mutual, and I believe you like your son's choice." "Indeed, indeed I do!" cried Lady Pinemount eagerly. "You would not be a woman if you did not," said the Doctor warmly. "There, Pinemount, you may take my word--the more easily that you see I want nothing from you but your cousinship. Still the family lawyers can see papers that would convince the greatest sceptic living. Let bygones be forgotten. Give me your hand."