And Rex, bargaining first for absolution, made a full confession of his fault, and, in spite of Mrs. Shelley’s presence, would have gone on, under cover of a foreign language, to confess his love too, if the arrival of John Shelley had not stopped him. The shepherd looked grave when he saw Mr. de Courcy, but Rex made himself so pleasant and agreeable that the frown vanished from his face, and it was only after Rex had left that he resumed his grave look. The shepherd was very silent during supper, and Mrs. Shelley was not wrong in her conjecture that there was a marital lecture in store for her when Fairy was gone to bed and they were alone. “Polly,” said the shepherd, suddenly, as Fairy’s door closed, “how long has this been going on?” “Has what been going on?” returned Mrs. Shelley, knowing well enough all the while what her husband meant. “How long have you been deceiving me and allowing that young gentleman to steal my poor little Fairy’s heart?” said John, sternly. “I never deceived you in my life, John Shelley. How dare you say such a thing?” retorted Mrs. Shelley, warmly. “Polly, it is no use being angry about it; you have done wrong, and you know it as well as I. From what I saw the other day and to-day it is very clear this gentleman has been coming here pretty often, and you kept it from me, knowing well enough I should have put a stop to it, had I known it, long ago, as I shall do now, though I misdoubt me but the mischief is done already, for I am afraid Fairy has lost her heart.” “And pray why should you want to put a stop to it? Why should not Fairy marry Mr. de Courcy if they care for each other?” asked Mrs. Shelley, anxious to divert John’s attention from her offence. “For two excellent reasons. First, we know nothing at all about him; pleasant as he appears, he may be a scamp for aught we know; and in the next place, supposing he is all he appears, it is quite certain neither Lady Oafham nor his own parents would hear of his marrying the foster-child of a poor shepherd.” “Mr. de Courcy a scamp! I am as certain he is all he seems to be as I am that you are an honest man, and for all we know Fairy may be as well-born as he is; and as for your stopping it, you will have a hard task to do that, I am sure.” “Hard or not, I shall do it, and at once,” said John, decidedly, and Mrs. Shelley saw he was too vexed to be persuaded not to take the matter in his own hands, and, conscious as she was that he was right and that she had acted foolishly, though she was too proud to acknowledge it, she now thought it wiser to say no more about it, though she was intensely curious to know what he would do.