"I had given up all hope of the marriage!"
"Ah! you don't know how determined I am when I take a thing into my head," she said playfully. "We will be married next week, and you will retain the property just as if nothing had occurred. No one knows the truth of the affair except your parents, and they will not speak."
"My father will, I know his vindictive nature."
"Your father!" she repeated contemptuously. "Don't speak of Basil Beaumont by that name. He has been no father to you, and as for speaking you can set your mind at rest. He called upon me this morning, and I soon settled everything."
"Yes, with a lot of lies in his mouth, but I threatened to prosecute him if he did not leave the village, so by this time I think he is out of the neighbourhood. Don't trouble, my dear, Beaumont will hold his tongue for his own sake."
"I called at Kossiter's as I passed," she answered, "and found your mother had gone up to London this morning. We must find her out and give her some money to live on, for after all, whatever part she has taken in this conspiracy it was for love of you."
"So you see everything is settled," she said joyously, rising from her knees, "we will be married next week and you will be master of Garsworth Grange."
Reginald was deeply affected by her noble conduct, and rising to his feet embraced her fondly.
"You are a noble woman," he said, with tears in his eyes, "but can I accept this sacrifice?"
"Why will you use such a word?--there is no sacrifice in what I do for the man I love."
"You bring me yourself, that is all I want. Let the past be forgotten. When we are married you will forget all the troubles you have had."
On mount and mere the moonlight lies Dim shadows veil the western skies, On every stream the starlight gleams, And all is mystery and dreams. But now Night folds her sombre wings. The lark his morning carol sings, A rosy, light glows o'er the lawn, And lo! in splendour breaks the dawn.
It was about a year since the marriage of Una with Reginald, and they were standing on the terrace of their hotel at Salerno, which overlooked the sea. Far below lay the blue ocean with its fringe of white waves breaking on a shore that extended in a curve round the base of the lofty mountains, the summits of which were clearly defined against the opaline sky. And what a wonderful sky it was, for the setting sun had irradiated the pure ether with most gorgeous colours. Great golden clouds in the west, forming a canopy over the intolerable brilliance of the sinking sun, melted into a delicate rose colour, which, rising towards the zenith, imperceptibly dissolved into a cold, clear blue, out of which peered a few stars. There were some boats on the sea with their broad sails, and the young couple on the terrace could hear every now and then the shrill voice of a minstrel singing a popular Italian air to the sharp notes of the mandolin.