loyalty to my dear girl; and assured of that, I did not fear Mrs.
Darrell's malice. Yet I could not help wishing that the marriage had
been appointed for an earlier date, and that the time which
stepmother and daughter were to spend together had been shorter.

Milly woke, and sat up for about half an hour, supported by pillows,
to take a cup of tea, while I talked to her a little about the
pleasantest subjects I could think of. She asked if Mr. Egerton had
been at Thornleigh that evening.

'Yes, dear, he has been.'

'Did you see him, Mary?'

'No; I did not see him.'

She gave a little disappointed sigh. It was her delight to hear me
repeat his messages to her, word for word, ever so many times over.

'Then you have nothing to tell me about him, dear?'

'Nothing; except that I know he loves you.'

'Ah, Mary, there was a time when you doubted him.'

'That time is quite past and gone, dear.'

She kissed me as she gave me back her cup and saucer, and promised
to go to sleep again, while I went to my room to write a long letter
home.