Lottie grew a little pale; her heart sank, not with distrust, but with perhaps a little, a very little disappointment. Was this still how it was to be? Just the same anxious diplomacies to secure a meeting, the same risks and chances? This gave her a momentary chill. “It is very difficult,” she said. “He is the only one I have to take care of me. He would think it unkind.” “You must not say now the only one, my Lottie--not the only one--my substitute for a little while, who will soon have to give me up his place.” “But he will not like to give it up now; not till he knows; perhaps not even then--for his daughter, you know----” “Ah! it was she who married Dropmore. Lottie, my love, my darling, I cannot live through the evening without you. Could you not come again, at the same time as last night? It is early dark, heaven be praised. Take your walk with him, and then give him the slip, and come here, sweet, here to me. I shall be watching, counting the moments. It is bad enough to be obliged to get through the day without you. Ah! it is the Signor’s day. The Signor is all rapt up in his music. He will never suspect anything. I shall be able to see you at least, to hear you, to look at you, my lovely darling----” After a moment said Lottie, “That was one thing I wanted to ask you about. You know why the Signor gives me lessons. Will it be right _now_ to go on with him? _now_ that everything is changed? Should not I give them up?” “Give them up!” cried Rollo, with a look of dismay. “My darling, what are you thinking of? They are more necessary, more important than ever. Of course, we will pay for them after. Oh! no fear but he will be repaid; but no, no, my love, my sweet, you must not give them up!” She looked at him with something like anxiety in her eyes, not knowing what he could mean. What was it? Lottie could not but feel a little disappointed. It seemed that everything was to go on just the same as before. “I shall see you there,” he said. “So long as we are in the same place everything is sweet; and I have always taken so much interest in your dear voice that no one can suspect. And to-night you will come--promise me, my darling--just after the service, when it is getting dark?” “Yes,” she whispered, with a sigh--then started from his side. “I saw some one among the trees. The old Chevaliers are coming up for their morning walk. Let me go now--you must let me go--Mr. Ridsdale----” “‘Mr. Ridsdale!’ How can I let my Lottie go before she has called me by my right name?” “Oh, I must not stay. I see people coming,” said Lottie, disappointed, troubled, afraid of being seen, yet angry with herself for being afraid. “Mr. Ridsdale--Rollo, dear Rollo--let me go now----”