there　been　in；　and　then　of　her　father。　　She　suddenly　reproached
  herself　for　thoughtlessness；　for　in　her　pocket　lay　a　letter　from
  him；　which　she　had　taken　from　the　postman　that　morning　at　the　moment
  of　coming　from　the　door；　and　in　the　hurry　of　embarking　had　forgotten
  ever　since。　　Opening　it　quickly；　she　read：
  'MY　DEAR　ETHELBERTA；Your　letter　reached　me　yesterday；　and　I　called
  round　at　Exonbury　Crescent　in　the　afternoon；　as　you　wished。
  Everything　is　going　on　right　there；　and　you　have　no　occasion　to　be
  anxious　about　them。　　I　do　not　leave　town　for　another　week　or　two；
  and　by　the　time　I　am　gone　Sol　and　Dan　will　have　returned　from　Paris；
  if　your　mother　and　Gwendoline　want　any　help：　　so　that　you　need　not
  hurry　back　on　their　account。
  'I　have　something　else　to　tell　you；　which　is　not　quite　so
  satisfactory；　and　it　is　this　that　makes　me　write　at　once；　but　do　not
  be　alarmed。　　It　began　in　this　way。　　A　few　nights　after　the　dinner…
  party　here　I　was　determined　to　find　out　if　there　was　any　truth　in
  what　you　had　been　told　about　that　boy；　and　having　seen　Menlove　go
  out　as　usual　after　dark；　I　followed　her。　　Sure　enough；　when　she　had
  got　into　the　park；　up　came　master　Joe；　smoking　a　cigar。　　As　soon　as
  they　had　met　I　went　towards　them；　and　Menlove；　seeing　somebody　draw
  nigh；　began　to　edge　off；　when　the　blockhead　said；　〃Never　mind；　my
  love；　it　is　only　the　old　man。〃　　Being　very　provoked　with　both　of
  them；　though　she　was　really　the　most　to　blame；　I　gave　him　some　smart
  cuts　across　the　shoulders　with　my　cane；　and　told　him　to　go　home；
  which　he　did　with　a　flea　in　his　ear；　the　rascal。　　I　believe　I　have
  cured　his　courting　tricks　for　some　little　time。
  'Well；　Menlove　then　walked　by　me；　quite　cool；　as　if　she　were　merely
  a　lady　passing　by　chance　at　the　time；　which　provoked　me　still　more；
  knowing　the　whole　truth　of　it；　and　I　could　not　help　turning　upon　her
  and　saying；　〃You；　madam；　ought　to　be　served　the　same　way。〃　　She
  replied　in　very　haughty　words；　and　I　walked　away；　saying　that　I　had
  something　better　to　do　than　argue　with　a　woman　of　her　character　at
  that　hour　of　the　evening。　　This　so　set　her　up　that　she　followed　me
  home；　marched　into　my　pantry；　and　told　me　that　if　I　had　been　more
  careful　about　my　manners　in　calling　her　a　bad　character；　it　might
  have　been　better　both　for　me　and　my　stuck…up　daughtera　daw　in
  eagle's　plumesand　so　on。　　Now　it　seems　that　she　must　have　coaxed
  something　out　of　Joey　about　youfor　what　lad　in　the　world　could　be
  a　match　for　a　woman　of　her　experience　and　arts！　　I　hope　she　will　do
  you　no　serious　damage；　but　I　tell　you　the　whole　state　of　affairs
  exactly　as　they　are；　that　you　may　form　your　own　opinions。　　After
  all；　there　is　no　real　disgrace；　for　none　of　us　have　ever　done　wrong；
  but　have　worked　honestly　for　a　living。　　However；　I　will　let　you　know
  if　anything　serious　really　happens。'
  This　was　all　that　her　father　said　on　the　matter；　the　letter
  concluding　with　messages　to　the　children　and　directions　from　their
  mother　with　regard　to　their　clothes。
  Ethelberta　felt　very　distinctly　that　she　was　in　a　strait；　the　old
  impression　that；　unless　her　position　were　secured　soon；　it　never
  would　be　secured；　returned　with　great　force。　　A　doubt　whether　it　was
  worth　securing　would　have　been　very　strong　ere　this；　had　not　others
  besides　herself　been　concerned　in　her　fortunes。　　She　looked　up　from
  her　letter；　and　beheld　the　pertinacious　yacht；　it　led　her　up　to　a
  conviction　that　therein　lay　a　means　and　an　opportunity。
  Nothing　further　of　importance　occurred　in　crossing。　　Ethelberta's
  head　ached　after　a　while；　and　Cornelia's　healthy　cheeks　of　red　were
  found　to　have　diminished　their　colour　to　the　size　of　a　wafer　and　the
  quality　of　a　stain。　　The　Speedwell　entered　the　breakwater　at
  Cherbourg　to　find　the　schooner　already　in　the　roadstead；　and　by　the
  time　the　steamer　was　brought　up　Ethelberta　could　see　the　men　on
  board　the　yacht　clewing　up　and　making　things　snug　in　a　way　from
  which　she　inferred　that　they　were　not　going　to　leave　the　harbour
  again　that　day。　　With　the　aspect　of　a　fair　galleon　that　could　easily
  out…manoeuvre　her　persevering　buccaneer；　Ethelberta　passed
  alongside。　　Could　it　be　possible　that　Lord　Mountclere　had　on　her
  account　fixed　this　day　for　his　visit　across　the　Channel？
  'Well；　I　would　rather　be　haunted　by　him　than　by　Mr。　Neigh；'　she
  said；　and　began　laying　her　plans　so　as　to　guard　against　inconvenient
  surprises。
  The　next　morning　Ethelberta　was　at　the　railway　station；　taking
  tickets　for　herself　and　Cornelia；　when　she　saw　an　old　yet　sly　and
  somewhat　merry…faced　Englishman　a　little　way　off。　　He　was　attended
  by　a　younger　man；　who　appeared　to　be　his　valet。
  'I　will　exchange　one　of　these　tickets；'　she　said　to　the　clerk；　and
  having　done　so　she　went　to　Cornelia　to　inform　her　that　it　would
  after　all　be　advisable　for　them　to　travel　separate；　adding；　'Lord
  Mountclere　is　in　the　station；　and　I　think　he　is　going　on　by　our
  train。　　Remember；　you　are　my　maid　again　now。　　Is　not　that　the
  gentlemanly　man　who　assisted　you　yesterday？'　　She　signified　the
  valet　as　she　spoke。
  'It　is；'　said　Cornelia。
  When　the　passengers　were　taking　their　seats；　and　Ethelberta　was
  thinking　whether　she　might　not　after　all　enter　a　second…class　with
  Cornelia　instead　of　sitting　solitary　in　a　first　because　of　an　old
  man's　proximity；　she　heard　a　shuffling　at　her　elbow；　and　the　next
  moment　found　that　he　was　overtly　observing　her　as　if　he　had　not　done
  so　in　secret　at　all。　　She　at　once　gave　him　an　unsurprised　gesture　of
  recognition。　　'I　saw　you　some　time　ago；　what　a　singular
  coincidence；'　she　said。
  'A　charming　one；'　said　Lord　Mountclere；　smiling　a　half…minute　smile；
  and　making　as　if　he　would　take　his　hat　off　and　would　not　quite。
  'Perhaps　we　must　not　call　it　coincidence　entirely；'　he　continued；
  'my　journey；　which　I　have　contemplated　for　some　time；　was　not　fixed
  this　week　altogether　without　a　thought　of　your　presence　on　the　road…
  …hee…hee！　　Do　you　go　far　to…day？'
  'As　far　as　Caen；'　said　Ethelberta。
  'Ah！　　That's　the　end　of　my　day's　journey；　too；'　said　Lord
  Mountclere。　　They　parted　and　took　their　respective　places；　Lord
  Mountclere　choosing　a　compartment　next　to　the　one　Ethelberta　was
  entering；　and　not；　as　she　had　expected；　attempting　to　join　her。
  Now　she　had　instantly　fancied　when　the　viscount　was　speaking　that
  there　were　signs　of　some　departure　from　his　former　respectful　manner
  towards　her；　and　an　enigma　lay　in　that。　　At　their　earlier　meetings
  he　had　never　ventured　upon　a　distinct　coupling　of　himself　and
  herself　as　he　had　done　in　his　broad　compliment　to…dayif　compliment
  it　could　be　called。　　She　was　not　sure　that　he　did　not　exceed　his
  license　in　telling　her　deliberately　that　he　had　meant　to　hover　near
  her　in　a　private　journey　which　she　was　taking　without　reference　to
  him。　　She　did　not　object　to　the　act；　but　to　the　avowal　of　the　act；
  and；　being　as　sensitive　as　a　barometer　on　signs　affecting　her　social
  condition；　it　darted　upon　Ethelberta　for　one　little　moment　that　he
  might　possibly　have　heard　a　word　or　two　about　her　being　nothing　more
  nor　less　than　one　of　a　tribe　of　thralls；　hence　his　freedom　of
  manner。　　Certainly　a　plain　remark　of　that　sort　was　exactly　what　a
  susceptible　peer　might　be　supposed　to　say　to　a　pretty　woman　of　far
  inferior　degree。　　A　rapid　redness　filled　her　face　at　the　thought
  that　he　might　have　smiled　upon　her　as　upon　a　domestic　whom　he　was
  disposed　to　chuck　under　the　chin。　　'But　no；'　she　said。　　'He　would
  never　have　taken　the　trouble　to　follow　and　meet　with　me　had　he
  learnt　to　think　me　other　than　a　lady。　　It　is　extremity　of　devotion
  that's　all。'
  It　was　not　Ethelberta's　inexperience；　but　that　her　conception　of
  self　precluded　such　an　association　of　ideas；　which　led　her　to
  dismiss　the　surmise　that　his　attendance　could　be　inspired　by　a
  motive　beyond　that　of　paying　her　legitimate　attentions　as　a　co…
  ordinate　with　him　and　his　in　the　social　field。　　Even　if　he　only
  meant　flirtation；　she　read　it　as　of　that　sort　from　which　courtship
  with　an　eye　to　matrimony　differs　only　in　degree。　　Hence；　she
  thought；　his　interest　in　her　was　not　likely；　under　the　ordinary
  influences　of　caste　feeling；　to　continue　longer　than　while　he　was
  kept　in　ignorance　of　her　consanguinity　with　a　stock　proscribed。　　She
  sighed　at　the　anticipated　close　of　her　full…feathered　towering　when
  her　ties　and　bonds　should　be　uncovered。　　She　might　have　seen　matters
  in　a　different　light；　and　sighed　more。　　But　in　the　stir　of　the
  moment　it　escaped　her　thought　that　ignorance　of　her　position；　and　a
  consequent　regard　for　her　as　a　woman　of　good　standing；　would　have
  prevented　his　indulgence　in　any　course　which　was　open　to　the
  construction　of　being　disrespectful。
  Valognes；　Carentan；　Isigny；　Bayeux；　were　passed；　and　the　train　drew
  up　at　Caen。　　Ethelberta's　intention　had　been　to　stay　here　for　one
  night；　but　having　learnt　from　Lord　Mountclere；　as　previously
  described；　that　this　was　his　destination；　she　decided　to　go　on。　　On
  turning　towards　the　carriage　after　a　few　minutes　of　promenading　at
  the　Caen　station；　she　was　surprised　to　perceive　that　Lord
  Mountclere；　who　had　alighted　as　if　to　leave；　was　still　there。
  They　spoke　again　to　each　other。　　'I　find　I　have　to　go　further；'　he
  suddenly　said；　when　she　had　chatt