"The world and I have parted forever, Una."
"I trust, Miss Rolfe, that we shall wean your father from his long seclusion. You must be the magnet to draw him from his retreat into the busy haunts of men."
"You will come and see me?" she murmured.
"Yes, Una. Go where you will," and he glanced over her head at Stephen, "you may feel that I am watching over you, as I have always watched and guarded you. If any harm comes to you----"
"Harm?" she breathed, and looked up into his face with questioning gaze.
"Come, Mr. Rolfe, you mustn't alarm your daughter," said Stephen, softly. "She will think that the world is filled with lions and wolves seeking whom they may devour. I think you may feel safe from any harm under my mother's protection, Miss Rolfe."
"Yes. I have never had a daughter. If you come you shall be one to me."
"You think me ungrateful?" said Una to her, in her simple, frank way.
"No, my dear," replied Mrs. Davenant. "I think you only show a naturally affectionate heart. You have never been from home before."
"Never," said Una. "Never out of the woods."
"My poor child. No, I do not think you ungrateful. I like to see that you feel leaving home so much. For you will come, will you not? I shall be disappointed and grieved if you do not, now that I have seen you."
"Yes, my dear. For I am sure that I shall love you, and I hope that you will grow fond of me."
"Do you?" said Una, musingly. "Yes," she said, after a pause, "I shall love you."
"Will you kiss me, my dear," she said; and Una bent and kissed her.
"And now that you think--that you are sure you will like me--you will come," said Mrs. Davenant.
Una looked before her thoughtfully, almost dreamily, for a moment, then replied:
"Yes, my father wishes me to go. Why does he wish me to go into the world he hates and fears so much? It was only the other day that he warned me against wishing for it, and told me that I should never be happy if I left Warden. Why has he changed so suddenly?"
"I--I think it must have been Stephen who persuaded him. I heard them talking together."
"Yes, he is my son; he is very good and clever--so very clever! He has been a most affectionate son to me, and has never caused me a day's uneasiness."
"Yes, Stephen is pale. It is because he thinks and reads so much, and then he is in great trouble now; his uncle died three days ago."