Her ladyship fell into a profound reverie after announcing this decision, while Lillian took up the morning paper and began to read. Lady Linton was deeply hurt by the way that her brother had written of his approaching marriage, and more so at having been ignored in all the arrangements; yet in spite of all this she was secretly jubilant over the fact that Sir William was about to bring a mistress to Heathdale. It would relieve her of a great burden; of all further plotting and intrigue regarding the enemy whom she had encountered only that day. Virginia Alexander might do her worst now—once let the twenty-first of December pass and she need fear her no more. She might succeed in securing an acknowledgment from Sir William that Virgie was his lawful child and a settlement of a portion of his property upon her; but there would be no longer any fear of the long-parted husband and wife coming to an understanding with each other—she, at least, would never come to Heathdale to queen it as mistress. She had heard of Lord Norton. He was reputed to be very old, very eccentric, and very literary; but she had not known of what his family consisted. She did not know, even now, farther than that he had a niece, but in her present mood, with that bitter hatred against Virginia Alexander rankling in her heart and the fear that her own past treachery was liable to be exposed if she was ever allowed to enter Heathdale, she was prepared to welcome Lord Norton’s heiress in the most cordial manner, and her spirits rose light as air at the prospect of a new sister-in-law. “Mamma,” said Lillian, suddenly looking up from her paper and breaking in upon these musings, “Uncle Will’s engagement is announced here.” “What! in the paper? Well, I must say they are rushing things.” She held out her hand for the sheet, an evil smile on her thin lips, as she imagined something of the chagrin and disappointment that Mrs. Alexander would experience upon reading an account of Sir William Heath’s approaching marriage. There was quite an extended paragraph regarding it, considerable being said about the late Lord Norton and his recent death; mention being made of his having left the whole of his large property to a niece; while the fact that Sir William Heath was contemplating matrimony with the “beautiful heiress,” gave rise to some pleasantry, since the “distinguished baronet having for so many years resisted Cupid’s most artful endeavors to lead him to Hymen’s altar, his friends and well-wishers had begun to fear that he was hopelessly invulnerable.” “Mamma, what will become of us when Uncle Will brings his wife home?” Lillian asked, somewhat anxiously, as Lady Linton laid down the paper. The same question had been agitating her ladyship’s mind.