Rose Lyndwood picked up his gloves; Mr. Hilton waited for him to speak; when the words came they were unexpected. "May I see Miss Hilton?" His voice was courteous again. "She is in the house;" her father was instantly at the bell-rope--"yes, I should wish you to see her." My lord pulled out his glass and dangled it by the ribbon; he had an air of complete abstraction, of aloofness from his surroundings. "A year ago Lavinia was at school," said Mr. Hilton; "she has had the education of a noblewoman, my lord." Rose Lyndwood was silent; he looked past the speaker towards the door; glass and ribbon swung from his fine idle hand. The bell had been obviously a signal, for it was the lady herself who entered. She came a little way into the room. "Lord Lyndwood, Lavinia," muttered Mr. Hilton. He moved awkwardly from the hearth; embarrassment made him appear clumsy, even foolish; his daughter, too, stood dumb and fluttering, but the Earl was now perfectly at his ease. He crossed to Miss Hilton and took her hand; she trembled a curtsey. "I come as a suitor, madam," he said, as he kissed her finger tips--"would it mightily displease you to become Countess of Lyndwood?" Then he looked at the girl; he found her fair, pale, very young; to him, at least, without charm or savour; her large eyes seemed to widen with fright, her lips quivered. "I am honoured," she said, and glanced at her father, then down again at the floor. "And I am grateful, Miss Hilton," smiled Lord Lyndwood, "that I have your consent--for it is a consent, is it not?" "Yes, my lord," then she moved suddenly away from him. "Sir," she addressed her father, "will you permit me to retire?" The eyes of the two men met for a second across her shrinking presence. Miss Hilton had not come more than a few paces from the door; and now she retreated towards it, with lowered eyes. "When may I wait on you, madam?" asked the Earl. "You must send me your command." Again she looked towards her father, who was regarding her with a mixture of shame and pride extraordinary to see. "Ask my father, sir," she answered, and showed such a piteous desire to be gone that he could not but open the door for her. Mr. Hilton strode up and down the lengthening patch of sunlight. "She is shy, my lord, you must forgive it; but a charming girl, for any situation, charming--and now for the lawyers; make your own appointment, my lord." Rose Lyndwood came across the room eyeing him. "A moment, Mr. Hilton; have you or I thought over what we are doing?" Suspicion clouded the older man's face. "What do you mean?" he asked sharply. The young Earl flushed and his eyes darkened. "I think of Miss Hilton--this--bargain concerns her, does it not?" The merchant was cautious, as one dealing with qualities strange to him. "Still I do not understand, my lord." Rose Lyndwood answered on a quick scornful breath.