of joy to earth before their eyes. On the contrary, within forty-eight hours of the conversation recorded in the last chapter, they were as comple

es to consider their position, and found in it, mutually and severally, many things that did not please them. For Philip, indeed, it was full of anxieties, for he had many complications to deal with. First there was his secret engagement to Maria Lee, of which, be it remembered, his wife was totally ignorant, and which was in itself a sufficiently awkward affair for a married man to hav

aresfoot to have to pass as Mrs. Roberts, and to be careful not to show herself in public places in the daytime, where there was a possibility of her being seen by any one who might recognize in her striking figure the lady who had lived with Miss Lee in Marlshire. It was not pleasant to her to be obliged to reply to Maria Lee's affectionate letters, full as they were of entreaty for her return, by epistles that had to be forwarded to a country

elected. Here he found no less than three letters from his father, the first requesting his return, the second commanding it in exceptionally polite language, and the third-which, written in mingled anxiety and anger, had just arrived-coolly announcing his parent's intention, should he not hear of him by return, of s

n with his father, he made the best of his way back to his lo

curls mingled with her own fair locks, and kissing him upon the forehead. "I have miss

without me for a while now; listen," and h

tentively till

do?" she asked, with so

urse I must go

at am I

w; I suppose that

pleasant for m

ially as he has been anxious about me, there is no knowing what might not happen. Remember, Hilda, that we have to deal with George, whose whole life is devoted to s

nate letter to his father, expressing his sorrow at the latter's anxiety at at his own negligence in not having written to him, the fact of the matter being, he said, that he had been taken up wi

handed to his

ill do?" he asked, w

touch of her old sarcasm, "it

tted; but he made no reply, and on the foll

up in town. Well, well, I don't complain, young men will be young men; but don't let these affairs interfere with the business of life. Remember Maria Lee, my

at his heart for his absent bride, and wondering what his fa

visit to her aunt in the Isle of Wight. Twice during that month he managed, on different pretexts, to get up to London and visit his wife, whom he found as patient as was possible under the circumstances, but anything but happy. Indeed, on the second occasion, sh

ionately yours, Maria Lee," waiting for him, which announced that young

not spared, and that was the perusal of Hilda's last letter to her friend, written apparently from Germany, and giving a lively description of the writer's daily life and the state of her uncle's health, which, she said, precluded all possibility of her return. Alas! he already kne

how he should treat her. It occurred to him that his safest course might be to throw himself upon her generosity and make a clean breast of it; but when it came to the po

to the certainty of present shame. In the end, he contrived to establish a species of confidential intimacy with Maria, which, whilst it s

quite incomprehensible to her why their relationship should be kept such a dark and mysterious secret, or why, i

with her-a thing to be very proud of; and she felt it hard that she should be denied the gratification of openly ack

verride her entire trust in and love for Philip. Whatever he did was no doubt wise and right; but, for all that, on several occasions she took

the position was very far from improved. Hilda was chafing more and more at the ignominy of her position; Maria was daily growing more and more impatient to have their engagement made public; and last, but by no

tions for Philip. That this entanglement could be marriage was, however, an idea that never entered into his head; he had too good an opinion of his son's common- sense to believe it possible that he would deliberately jeopardize his inheritance by marrying without his permission. But Philip's relu

e information, he said no more to Phil

rarely used, giving special directions that the coachman should see that his wig was properly curled. An ill-curled wig had befo

it, and seated himself exactly in the middle of the back seat, not leaning back, as is the fashion of our degenerate days, but holding himself bolt upright. Any more imposing sight than this old gentleman presented thus seated, and moving at a stately pace through the vil

s of the Abbey, the squire ordered the coachman to drive

ilst a servant went in search of Miss Le

an to see

at home. W

resfoot

for granted that Philip had paid her an unexpect

-oh!" for at that moment Mr. Caresfoot senior appeared from behind the back of th

led Philip for many a long year, and I fear that that was by accident

ed with confusion, "I thought that it was Philip, y

nd the old squire bowing again with such courtly grace as to drive what little sel

eyes upon her face, "with your permission, we will sit down a

ng eyes that had produced such curious effects upon subjects so dissimilar as the late

ly affecting your happiness and also of a delicate nature. My excuse for alluding to it must be that you are the child of my old fr

not q

comes to the point. I mean I have come to ask you, Maria, if any

t they were drawing her secret from her as a cork

e are e

ar. How long have

eight m

e affair been k

d me not to tell any one. I suppose tha

anted to hear the confirmation of such good news from your own lips. Young men are great coxcombs, my dear, an

t you are pleased

to pass; I have thought of it for years. I loved your father, and you are like your father, girl; ay, I love you too, because you are a generous, honest woman, and will bring a good strain of blood into a family that wants generosity-ay, and I sometimes thin

d as she

her voice trembled a little, "I want to make you understand that, though this engagement

roperty to his cousin, George;-there, there, I frightened you, I beg your pardon, but in his own interest, Maria, I advise you to hold him fast to his

very glad, M

he happens to ask you, mention the subject of our conve

his leave with the same magnificence