"What!" exclaimed Harry. "I thought of taking a ride to-morrow. I am very anxious to go over to Downside."

"Totally out of the question, Mr Harry. You would very likely bring on a fever, and I could not answer for the consequences."

"Have you seen the Miss Pembertons lately?" asked Harry.

"Yes. Miss Jane, though she generally considers her skill superior to mine, sent for me to attend the young lady who lives with them, and I suspect, Mr Harry, that you had something to do with her illness, though I am happy to say there is nothing serious. She heard somewhat abruptly of your having been attacked by the robbers, and it was said that you had only just time to reach the hall and fall down in a dead faint. When I a.s.sured her that you were in no danger at all, and would soon recover if you followed my advice, she quickly got better, and I hope to find her quite well when I next call."

"Though I may not ride, could I not drive there?" asked Harry. "I must see her, or she may still be fancying that I am worse than is the case."

"Not with my leave, certainly," said the doctor. "I will take care to let her know how you are getting on, and if, as I suspect, you are not indifferent to the young beauty, I shall be happy to bring you any message she may send you."

"I will write to her," exclaimed Harry. "I will not detain you long."

"No, no, my friend, I am happy to convey any verbal message, but must decline being the carrier of written despatches. I might possibly hand them to the wrong persons, and instead of a prescription which I had intended to leave, some demure middle-aged maiden might find herself in possession of a love letter. I know well enough all you have to say, and trust me for making the young lady understand you."

"By-the-bye, have you seen Dame Halliburt? I wish to know how she and her husband bear the loss of their son."

"She is about again, and both keep up their spirits in the hopes that the lad will manage to make his escape from the smugglers, and return to them before long. It is a sore trial for them though, as he was their only remaining child."

"The doctor forgets May," thought Harry; and very naturally did not mention her, by which he lost the opportunity of learning a fact which might have been of considerable consequence to him.

The doctor as he went down saw Lady Castleton and Julia, and charged them on no account to let Harry go out.

"I cannot be answerable for his life if he does," he observed, more, perhaps, for the sake of inducing them to be firm on the subject than because he had any apprehension of Harry's safety.

Sir Ralph kept to his resolution of going over to Downside. He set out followed by his groom, both of them carrying pistols in their holsters, while the baronet in addition wore a sword by his side, in case any of the gang of ruffians who had attacked his son might set upon him.

The Miss Pembertons had in the meantime kept to their purpose of making a will in favour of Maiden May. Mr Shallard arrived unexpectedly one morning. They explained their views, and as there was nothing intricate, he was able to draw it up at once, and Adam Halliburt and their gardener, who had been sent for, acted as witnesses. Adam's satisfaction at seeing his Maiden May thus amply provided for was very great.

"G.o.d bless you, ladies," he exclaimed; "if there is anything that could make me feel happy it is this."

"I remember your mentioning the little girl to me some years ago,"

observed Mr Shallard to Adam; "and I am afraid we have been remiss in not making more efforts to ascertain to what family she can belong, although the difficulties have increased by the length of time which has elapsed. The expense, however, will, I fear, be considerable, though really for the sake of so interesting a young lady I should be happy to bear it."

"If it would prove to May's interest to discover her parents I would also a.s.sist, and so would my sister Mary," said Miss Jane.

"We will see what can be done," said Mr Shallard, at length preparing to take his departure. Just as he reached the hall door, Sir Ralph rode up. "Good-day, Mr Shallard. What, have my good cousins been requiring your services?"

"Had I called professionally I should have been bound not to reveal the business even to you, my most respected client," answered the lawyer evasively. "I trust you can give me a favourable account of Lieutenant Castleton. We must hunt up the scoundrels who attacked him, but as yet the myrmidons of justice have made no progress I fear."

"They have not, and the country is indeed in an unsatisfactory condition when such outrages as have lately occurred can be perpetrated with impunity," observed Sir Ralph.

Mr Shallard, however, not wishing to have any longer conversation with the baronet, wished him "good morning," and rode off.

May had just been summoned to the drawing-room after the lawyer's departure. She was seated by Miss Mary's side, engaged with her needle, the light which streamed through the bay window falling on her fair countenance, and showing the golden hue in her hair. Had she intentionally placed herself in a position for appearing to the best advantage, she could not have been more successful. Miss Jane was seated nearer the door, when the baronet entered.

"Though your visits are rare we are glad to see you whenever you do come, Sir Ralph," she said, rising and putting out her hand, which the baronet lifted to his lips with his usual courtly politeness. "Here is Sir Ralph, Mary," added Miss Jane.

Miss Mary rose as did May in a graceful way, standing with one hand on the chair, as she felt an unusual trepidation seize her.

The baronet advanced, fixing his eyes on her, and then having pressed Miss Mary's hand, he made her one of his most courtly bows.

"Let me introduce our young friend to you," said Miss Jane, who had observed Sir Ralph's glance of admiration.

He was of too unbending a nature, however, to allow May's beauty to alter his determination. He entered into conversation, however, with the freedom of a man of the world, making the ladies believe that his visit was only one of courtesy. His critical taste could not help being satisfied with May's manners and the remarks she made, as much as it had been by her beauty, and she began to feel that regard for him which she naturally wished to have for the father of her intended husband.

The baronet, rising, said in a more formal tone than he had hitherto used--

"I must beg of you, Miss Pemberton, a few minutes private conversation before I bid you farewell."

"If you wish it we will go to the dining-room, or Mary and May will leave us alone."

"Not on any account would I have them quit the drawing-room," answered Sir Ralph, and stepping up to Miss Mary he lifted her hand to his lips, bowing at the same time to May, with that courtesy which he considered her beauty demanded, though his cold look gave her an unsatisfactory feeling.

"I am obliged to you for allowing me an interview in private," he said, as soon as he and Miss Jane were seated in the dining-room. "I wish to make enquiries with regard to the young person residing with you, and with whom, it appears, my son Harry has fallen in love. With all respect to you you must be aware that I cannot consider a person in her situation in any way a suitable wife for a son of mine, and though I do not wish to throw blame upon you, I cannot help feeling that you have been guilty of indiscretion, to use no stronger term, in allowing the young people to meet in the way it appears they have done. I should have expected, under the circ.u.mstances, that you would not have invited him to the house, and had he called of his own accord would have kept the young lady out of his way. I must therefore hold you responsible for the consequences."

The tone of this address--so unlike that in which Sir Ralph had been speaking in the drawing-room--took Miss Jane considerably aback; but she was not to be easily brow-beaten even by her cousin.

"I am not conscious, Sir Ralph, of having acted in any way in which I can blame myself," she answered, with as much dignity as she could command. "We had no design when we expressed our pleasure at seeing Harry at Downside, nor did we think of his falling in love with our young friend."

"May I ask whether she is a relation, or to what family she belongs?"

asked Sir Ralph, abruptly.

"She is no relation, though we love her as one," said Miss Jane. "Has not your son told you her history?"

"Not a word; he declined doing so," said the baronet.

"It is a very romantic one," answered Miss Jane, and she described the way May had been rescued.

"Judging from her appearance, she may be of gentle birth," observed Sir Ralph, "but the fact that her family have not been discovered tends to prove the contrary, and nothing you have said alters my determination not to sanction my son's marriage to a girl depending on charity for her support."

"That alone interests us, and makes us more than ever ready to care for her," said Miss Jane. "We have this very day left her all the property we possess, or which may ever come to us, and she is therefore no longer helpless and dependent, as you suppose."

"I should have concluded you would have wished to leave to the Castleton family what originally came from them," remarked the baronet, with some heat in his tone.

"That is not a matter I am disposed to discuss," said Miss Jane. "Your daughter is, I conclude, well provided for, and we have not acted contrary to the wishes of your son Harry, who is the only other person we should have thought of making our heir."

"As you think fit--as you think fit," said the baronet. "I have only now to request that you will inform your protege if she marries my son Harry she will not be received by his mother or me as a daughter, and will certainly justly compel us to discard him for his disobedience."

"Do you insist on my giving such a message to the poor girl?" asked Miss Jane, feeling very indignant, but, at the same time, still hoping to soften her cousin's heart.

"If you do not give it, I must myself. To tell you the truth, I came here for that purpose. It is always better to settle matters of this sort summarily."

"Oh!" said Miss Jane.

"Concluding that you will do as I request, I must wish you good morning," said the baronet. "I have further to beg that you will not admit my son into your house."

"I can make no promises," said Miss Jane. "I will, however, give your harsh message to our young friend, though I cannot undertake to advise her how to act. I regret, Sir Ralph, that the only visit with which you have honoured us while at Texford has not terminated in a more satisfactory manner to you and to ourselves."