living, were as kind as possible, and set me free to go. I was there
in three days, and truly the dear, beautiful, merry girl I had parted
with only a year before was a sad piteous sight. Mrs. Houghton
seemed broken-hearted at leaving her, thinking there was little
chance of her living; but Mr. Houghton, who, I am afraid, was a
professed gambler, had got into some scrape, and was gone to Paris,
where she had to follow him. She told me all about it, and how, when
Captain Egremont fancied that a marriage in the Channel Islands was
one he could play fast and loose with, she had taken care that the
formalities should be such as to make all secure. Foolish and wrong
as poor Alice had been, she had awakened all the best side of that
poor woman's nature, and no mother could have been more careful and
tender. She gave me the certificate--here it is--and assured me that
it would hold good. I have shown it to a lawyer, and he said the
same; but when I sent a copy to Mr. Egremont, my letter was returned
unopened.'

'Captain Egremont had denied the marriage, and they believed him,'
said Lady Kirkaldy. 'It is hard to believe that he could be so
heartless, but he was in bondage to the old General Egremont, and
dreaded losing his inheritance.'

'So he told them in his one visit to Dieppe. He said he must keep
his marriage secret, but promised an allowance, on condition that
Alice would live quietly at Dieppe, and not communicate with any one
of her own family or his. He had left (pounds)100 with her, but that was
nearly gone, and she had never heard from him. It had preyed on her,
and she was so ill that I never expected, any more than Mrs.
Houghton, to see her recover. I stayed there with her; she could not
be moved, even if she would have consented, when she was continually