"That is what Harry says; but I cannot shake off the fear. Do you remember that when I was a child I used to dream of him, of Sir Rupert and his dogs, and scream out at nights. It is so lonely up there at Angry that anything might be done, and no one a whit the wiser." "Now, Essie," said I, "if this goes on you'll make yourself ill, and then who is to see after Harry? He is wiser than you are. Let him tell Lady O'Brien that you love each other, and let him tell Aline also. Promise me that you will. I am sure you will not find Aline hard, and your godmother will be, I am sure, all on your side." Esther promised me, and looked happier when she had given the promise. A day or two later something very surprising and delightful happened. The General came over to see Aline in the afternoon, and mentioned in the course of conversation that he had to go to London on business, which would probably occupy him a week. "I shall stay with my sister in Bloomsbury," he said, "and I was thinking that you might perhaps be so kind as to trust Miss Hilda to my care. There is a little bit of business we might be about arranging while we're there." "It would be very nice for her, General, and she has had no holiday, poor dear!" said Aline. "It is very kind of you, indeed. But the business?" "Ah! Miss Brandon, that is Miss Hilda's secret, unless she likes to share it with you." "Are you sure she knows it herself, General?" said I, with a wild hope springing up in my heart. "Well, this is the way of it, Miss Brandon," said the General. "This very industrious young lady has, it seems, not only arranged my library for me, like a born librarian, and even begun to catalogue it, but she has written a novel, or the big end of one, during your summer holiday." "A novel, Hilda!" cried Aline with hands upraised. "And a very excellent one, if I'm any judge at all," said the General; "but we want an expert opinion, and I'm going to ask my old friend Linklater, of Linklater, Lee, & Warner, Paternoster Square, to pronounce upon it. I believe he'll read it himself for my sake, and let us know the result within a week." "Oh dear General!" cried I, "what an angel you are!" "My dear child, you've been very good to me, and it's nothing at all, nothing," said the General hastily. "So I may write to Lucy, Miss Brandon, to say I'm bringing a young lady?" "Thank you very much, General. It won't be troublesome to Miss MacNeill?" "Lucy'll be delighted. She'll be for taking the child to half the societies in London that affect her particular views. Lucy is a good soul, though we don't agree on many points. There, Miss Hilda, don't look alarmed. You and I are going to have a real good holiday-time and see the sights. Lucy shall only have you when there's something really pleasant to see or do."