Like all lovers, Rex felt the next best thing to being with his beloved was to be with someone to whom he could openly discourse upon her perfections; moreover, he had great hopes of winning the baroness to take his part in the matter, in which case perhaps she might be prevailed upon to invite Fairy to come and stay at Château de Thorens, and he felt confident if his people could only see her apart from her foster family, they could not in reason object to her as a daughter-in-law. “And you are really engaged, Rex?” asked the baroness, when Rex had paused to take breath in the midst of an eloquent panegyric on Fairy’s beauty and many virtues. “Of course I am, and what is more I mean to marry her as soon as she is of age, in spite of all my people may say to the contrary, and at present I don’t see a chance of their giving their consent.” “But why not? I thought your mother had always declared she would let you choose your wife in the English fashion; and surely she would rather you married an English girl and a Protestant, would she not?” “Yes; but, ahem! you see there are some insuperable difficulties, which, at present, I don’t see any way to overcoming.” “Why, isn’t your _fiancée_ a lady?” “A lady, baroness! why, she is an angel!” indignantly exclaimed Reginald. “Oh! of course, we always are until we are wives; but who is she?” said the baroness, beginning to suspect there was a great deal more to be confessed yet. “Well, you see, that is the very thing, I don’t know who she is; she does not know herself; in fact, nobody knows.” “Nobody knows who she is! My dear Rex, this is very odd; pray explain yourself. Who is she?” “She is the dearest, prettiest, sweetest, most elegant little creature you ever saw in your life. Her hair——” began Rex. “Oh, but you have told me all about her hair and her wonderful eyes and her exquisite complexion before; I want to know her name, and where she lives, and what her father is, and all about her.” “She has not a father; in fact, she has no relations. She was found by her foster father when she was a baby, and the people all believe the fairies brought her, and they call her the fairies’ child.” “But, my dear Rex, there are no such things as fairies; surely you can’t believe what those ignorant English peasants say. Who is her foster father then?” “Well, that is the unfortunate part; he is only a shepherd, and yet Fairy, that is her only name, is as perfect a lady as my mother or Lady Oafham.” “Oh, but my dear Rex, it is impossible, brought up in a shepherd’s cottage!” said the baroness. “Do you mean to say I don’t know a lady when I see one?” asked Rex, angrily. “On the contrary, I don’t know a better judge, but in this case, Rex, don’t you think it is possible you are biassed by your feelings; don’t look so black at me; you know I always tell you exactly what I think, and if you begin to quarrel with me about this wonderful Fairy, I shan’t like her.”