"Bah! A jade, a cheat, my dear. Don't believe her," cried the admiral merrily; "she has a strange Guest in her eye--Hotspur--Percy. Look at her." "Don't, Myra dear. Kiss uncle and come back to your room," and after a loving embrace between father and daughter the bridesmaid carried off the bride to the room where the travelling trunks lay ready packed, the bridal veil on a chair; and after the last touches had been given to the bride's toilet, the cousins were left alone. "Now, Myra darling, any more commands for me about uncle? We may not have another chance." "No, dear," said the bride thoughtfully. "I could say nothing you will not think of for yourself. Don't let him miss me, dear." "You know I will not. Bless you, pet; you happy darling, you've won the best husband in the world. But how funny it seems to have to go through all this again." "Hush, dear. Don't--pray don't talk about it." "I can't help it, Myra; my tongue will talk this morning. Oh, I am so glad that it will be all right this time." Myra's brow contracted a little, but her cousin rattled on. "It has always seemed to me such stuff to talk of you as a widow. Oh, Myra, don't look like that. What a stupid, thoughtless thing I am." She flung her arms about her cousin, and was again bursting into tears when there was a tap at the door, and she shrank away. "Come in." One of the lady's maids appeared. "Sir Mark says, ma'am, that the carriages are waiting, and Miss Jerrold will not come up." Myra took her bouquet and turned calmly to her cousin as the maid burst out with: "God bless you, Miss Myra--I mean madame. May you be very happy." The second maid was at hand to second the wish, and the pair performed a duet in sobs as the cousins swept down the broad staircase to the admiral's room. "Time, my dear, time," cried Sir Mark jovially. "Come, Edie, aunt will be furious if you keep her any longer." Edie took his arm, but dropped it again to run and kiss her cousin once again. Then tripping to the old man's side he led her down the broad staircase and across the hall, now pretty well thronged with visitors, and the servants in the background to see the departure. A carriage was in waiting, with a tall, stern looking, grey lady inside. "Late, Mark," she said sharply. "Come Edie, my child, and let's get it over." "You're all alike," said the admiral, as the bridesmaid took her place, the carriage started, and with head erect the old sailor strode back, seeing nobody, and went up to his room, to return soon after, amid a buzz of whispering, proudly leading down the bride. "And only one bridesmaid," whispered a lady visitor at the hotel. "Young widow--very private affair--by the lady's wish," was whispered back loudly enough for Myra and her father to hear as they passed down the steps. "Let them chatter," said the old man to himself. "They haven't seen such a bride for years."