Mount Royal, Volume 2 of 3

keep on good terms with her cousin. Leonard's conduct of late had been irreproachable: he was attentive to his mother, all amiability to Christabel, and almost civ

so often together, riding, driving, or walking, that the idea of an engagement between them became a fixt

ty-must ultimately prevail over the memory of another-that other having so completely given up his chances. Mrs. Tregonell was half inclined to recognize the nobleness of that renunciation; half disposed to accept it as a proof that Angus Hamleigh's heart still hankered after the actress who had bee

d been one purpose in his mind, and every act of his life had tended to one result. He had sworn to himself that his cousin should be his wife. Whatever barriers of disinclination, direct antagonism even, there might be on her side must be broken down by dogged patience, unyielding determination on his side. He had

hurch door after church. Then had come a rather late luncheon, after which Christabel spent an hour in her aunt's room reading to her, and talking a little in a subd

, alone in the dusk save for Randie's comp

alone in the dark?" he exclaimed. "I

inking," she sa

d, coming over to the hearth, and drawing the logs together. "There's a cheerful blaze for y

me than one mother in a hundred is to her daughter. She is with us to-day-a part of ou

imself in his mother's empty chair. "I'm afraid she won't last out the year th

has been happier

u know

with her face bent over her dog, hiding

gether-more cousinly-and she has looked forward to the fulfilment of an old wish and dream of hers. She has looked for the speedy realization of that wish, Belle, although six months ago it seemed hopeles

it is so. But th

oo proud to run the risk of a second refusal. He would have gone away in a huff and found comfort somewhere else. But I knew that there

mother-very good to me. I cannot deny tha

d sat looking straight at the fire, self-possessed and sad. It seeme

uld make my mother happy, that it would make the end of her life a festival. You owe me nothing, but you owe

aid Christabel, bitterly. "What if I were to say yes, and then te

, if it is so," said Leonard, hi

him up. I believed that in honour he belonged to another woman. I believe so still. Bu

, and I will take my chance of all the rest. I know you will be a good wife; and I will be a good husband to you. And I suppose in the end you will get to care for me, a little. One thing is certain, that I can't be happy withou

Hamleigh, which she had sworn in her heart should be kissed by no other man upon ear

appy," said Leonard. "Come to her

n and not to duty. But when Mrs. Tregonell heard the news from the triumphant lover, the light of

ard. I feared that I should die before you relented; but now you have made me glad and grateful. I reared you for this, I taught you for this,

praising and caressing her. Leonard was all submission as a lover. Major Bree was delighted at the security which this engagement promised for the carrying on of the line of Champernownes and Tregonells-the union of two fine estates. He had looked forward to a dismal period

r of Christabel's circle who refrai

ng was inevitable? Continual dropping will wear away a stone; the stone is a fixture and can't help being dropped upo

health, and her ardent desire to see her son and her niece united before her fading eyes closed for ever upon earth and earthly cares, Christ

uses in all the cottage gardens, Christabel put on her wedding gown, and whiter than the pale ivory tint of the soft sheeny satin, took her seat in the carriage beside her adopted mother, to be dr

features blanched with that awful pallor which tells of di

bridge, "I have loved you all your life, but never as I love

it should be so,"

dear," said her aunt. "Your ex

a serious thing, dear. It means

ue face, wrapped in its cloudy veil. "Christabel, my love, tell me that you are not unhappy-that this

ee will," answered

swer before they led her to the altar of offended Artemis. There are sacrific

gate-dismissed from school an hour before their time-waved their sturdy arms,

arest, I am content,

shire hats, and long mittens-no page-boys, staggering under gigantic baskets of flowers-no fuss or fashion, to make that solemn ceremony a raree-show for the gaping crowd. The Rector of Trevalga's two li

who gave her niece away, while Major Bree acted as best man for Leonard. There were no guests at this winter wedding. Mrs. Tregonell's fr

ew lives, to set against the many they have blessed and glorified. Still deadly pale, the bride went with the bridegroom to the vestry, to sign that book of fate, the register, Mrs. Tregonell following on Major Bree's arm, Miss Brid

egroom had signed, "let us have your name next, if you please; for I don

register. But the pen dropped suddenly from the hand that had guided it so firmly. Mrs. Tregonell looked round at the circle of faces with a strange wild look in her own. She gave a faint half-s

ound her, and held he

e asked, alarmed by that stra

ltered. "Don't be sorry

heart throbbed its last dull beat, the fade

, half sustained in Leonard's arms, half resting on the chair which had been pushed forward to support her as she sank upon her son's breast. Vain to