Sumner had proposed and been refused. He had now left the house. Lilian
and her mother were coming back; in a few days we should meet. In this
letter were inclosed a few lines from Mrs. Ashleigh. She was more
explicit about my rival than Lilian had been. If no allusion to his
attentions had been made to me before, it was from a delicate
consideration for myself. Mrs. Ashleigh said that "the young man had
heard from L---- of our engagement, and--disbelieved it;" but, as Mrs.
Poyntz had so shrewdly predicted, hurried at once to the avowal of his own
attachment, and the offer of his own hand. On Lilian's refusal his pride
had been deeply mortified. He had gone away manifestly in more anger than
sorrow.

"Lady Delafield, dear Margaret Poyntz's aunt, had been most kind in
trying to soothe Lady Haughton's disappointment, which was rudely
expressed,--so rudely," added Mrs. Ashleigh, "that it gives us an
excuse to leave sooner than had been proposed,--which I am very glad
of. Lady Delafield feels much for Mr. Sumner; has invited him to
visit her at a place she has near Worthing. She leaves to-morrow in
order to receive him; promises to reconcile him to our rejection,
which, as he was my poor Gilbert's heir, and was very friendly at
first, would be a great relief to my mind. Lilian is well, and so
happy at the thoughts of coining back."

When I lifted my eyes from these letters I was as a new man, and the earth
seemed a new earth. I felt as if I had realized Margrave's idle
dreams,--as if youth could never fade, love could never grow cold.

"You care for no secrets of mine at this moment," said Margrave, abruptly.

"Secrets!" I murmured; "none now are worth knowing. I am loved! I am