I thought I should be required as an important witness in the inquiry which I understood is going on here,” said Emmeline, stepping quickly forward, “so I have come to give my evidence.”

“You are too late, my love,” said Lady Thicknesse. “The inquiry is over.”

“Has it ended satisfactorily?” asked Emmeline.

“Not to me,” replied Chetwynd. “Your cousin Scrope has endeavoured to show that if you had not intentionally been kept in the dark as to certain matters, you would not have entered into an engagement which he holds to be utterly unworthy of you. Nor has he acknowledged his error, though every assurance has been given him that he is mistaken.”

“Will my amiable but incredulous cousin accept my assurance to the same effect?” observed Emmeline. “He shakes his head, and declines to answer. He is, therefore, out of court. Nevertheless, I will tell him, and all who choose to listen to me, that Mr. Chetwynd Calverley has behaved in the most honourable manner, and has concealed nothing from me. I will also tell my proud cousin, and he may make what use he pleases of the information, that I have engaged myself to as good a gentleman as himself, and that nothing that he or any one else can say will induce me to break my promise.”

“Thank you, from my heart!” said Chetwynd.

“Now is your time to speak, if you have anything to say,” observed Emmeline to her cousin.

But Scrope shrugged his shoulders, and declined the challenge.

“Then I will tell you one thing, which you don't know, and, perhaps, won't believe when you are told it,” said Emmeline. “Chetwynd himself proposed to go through a period of probation before our engagement took place: and he readily agreed that the marriage should be deferred for a year. Will that content you?”

“I should be better pleased if it were postponed altogether!” muttered Scrope.

“Let me say a word for my friend Chetwynd,” interposed Sir Bridgnorth. “As yet, it is somewhat early to declare that he has reformed, but I sincerely believe in his professions, and I feel persuaded he will carry them out.”

“I won't disappoint you, Sir Bridgnorth!” said Chetwynd, earnestly.

“I have entire confidence in you,” rejoined the baronet.

“And so have I,” said Lady Thicknesse. “I am so well satisfied with the explanation that has taken place, that I give my full consent to Emmeline's engagement.”

“I am delighted to hear you say so, dearest aunt!” cried the young lady. “You make me quite happy. It would have grieved me to incur your displeasure. I don't care a bit about Scrope!”

“Won't you even give me credit for the desire to serve you?” said Scrope.

“No. I am displeased by your uncalled-for interference. You do more harm than good!”

“Before deciding against my friend Chetwynd, Scrope,” said Sir Bridgnorth, “you ought to give him a fair trial.”

“That is all I desire,” remarked Chetwynd. “Six months hence, if I have not proved myself worthy of Emmeline, I will retire from the field.”

“I take you at your word,” said Scrope. “Am I to decide the point?”

“No; because you have shown yourself unfair and ungenerous,” said Emmeline.

At this juncture, Captain Danvers entered the room, and uttered an exclamation of surprise on seeing so many persons present.

“I wondered where you all were,” he said. “What important affair have you been discussing?55

“A marriage!” replied Lady Thicknesse.

“And everybody, except Scrope, is pleased with it!” said Emmeline.

“Oh, never mind him!” remarked the captain. “He'll come round to the general opinion.”

“Don't be too sure of that!” said Scrope.

“Ten to one you come round before a month!” said his brother.

“Done!” rejoined Scrope.

“I wish I could bet!” said Emmeline. “I'd lay fifty to one that in less than a week Scrope will own his mistake, and ask my pardon!”

“I'll back you!55 said Sir Bridgnorth, looking at Scrope.

“Taken!” rejoined that person.

“And now let us go up-stairs,” said Lady Thicknesse.

“Not to the drawing-room, dear aunt,” rejoined Captain Danvers.

“Why not there?” inquired her ladyship, surprised.

“Because we should interrupt a very tender interview,” said the captain. “Lord Courland and Mrs. Calverley are in the drawing-room, dear aunt.”

“I should think the affair must be settled by this time,” observed Scrope.

“Give them another quarter of an hour,” said the captain.

The proposition was unanimously agreed to.

That morning, Mrs. Calverley's lady's-maid, Laura, had delivered to her mistress a little billet doux from Lord Courland, entreating the favour of a private interview.

The request was granted, and, through the instrumentality of Mr. Higgins, who was consulted by Laura, it was arranged that the meeting should take place in the drawing-room, the obliging butler undertaking that the pair should not be interrupted.

Never had the charming widow looked more beautiful than on that morning.

As she sat in the drawing-room awaiting Lord Cour-land's appearance, her breast swelled with triumph, and her eyes shone with more than their customary splendour.

Great pains had been taken with her toilette by Laura, who assured her, with a smile, that she looked enchanting, and added that there was not another person in the house to be compared with her.

The fair widow believed what was said, and might be excused for doing so under the circumstances, since she had at once carried off the grand prize from those whom she regarded as competitors.

Lord Courland was enraptured when he beheld her.

He did not throw himself literally at her feet when the discreet Higgins, who had ushered him into the room, had retired, but he manifested all the ardour of an impassioned lover.

He gave utterance to a few expressions of delight as he sat down beside her on the sofa, and pressed her hand to his lips, but his looks were far more eloquent than his words.