No one could have been more surprised than the Reverend Eustace
Medlicott at the behavior of his betrothed. Far from showing any
contrition for her unseemly absence upon the arm of a perfect
stranger, and a foreigner to boot, Stella had returned to the fold
of her relations' group with a demure and radiant face, and when
Eustace had ventured some querulous reproaches, she had cut him
short by saying she had done as she wished and did not intend to
listen to any remarks about it.

"You will have to learn more humbleness of mind, my dear child,"
he retorted sternly. "I cannot allow you to reply to your future
husband in this independent tone."

"I shall just answer as I please," said Stella, and felt almost
inclined to laugh, he looked so cross and amazed. Then she turned
and talked to the cousin, Mr. Deanwood, and took no further
notice of him.

Mr. Medlicott burned with annoyance. Stella would really have to
be careful or he would not go on with the match--he had no
intention of taking to wife a woman who would defy him--there was
Nancy Ruggles ready to be his slave--and others besides her. And
his career could be just as well assisted by the Bishop's daughter
as by Canon Ebley's niece, even though her uncle was a crotchety
and unknown Lord, patron of two fat livings. But Stella, with a
rebellious little curl loosened on her snowy neck and a rebellious
pout upon her cherry lips, was so very alluring a creature to call
one's own, the desire of the flesh, which he called by any other