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letter may tell youwhat Penrose ought to have
discoveredwhether Romayne has been already entrapped into a
marriage engagement or not。
Farewell for the present。 Remind the Reverend Fathers； with my
respects； that I possess one of the valuable qualities of an
EnglishmanI never know when I am beaten。
BOOK THE THIRD。
CHAPTER I。
THE HONEYMOON。
MORE than six weeks had passed。 The wedded lovers were still
enjoying their honeymoon at Vange Abbey。
Some offense had been given； not only to Mrs。 Eyrecourt； but to
friends of her way of thinking； by the strictly private manner in
which the marriage had been celebrated。 The event took everybody
by surprise when the customary advertisement appeared in the
newspapers。 Foreseeing the unfavorable impression that might be
produced in some quarters； Stella had pleaded for a timely
retreat to the seclusion of Romayne's country house。 The will of
the bride being； as usual； the bridegroom's law； to Vange they
retired accordingly。
On one lovely moonlight night； early in July； Mrs。 Romayne left
her husband on the Belvidere； described in Major Hynd's
narrative； to give the housekeeper certain instructions relating
to the affairs of the household。 Half an hour later； as she was
about to ascend again to the top of the house； one of the
servants informed her that 〃the master had just left the
Belvidere； and had gone into his study。〃
Crossing the inner hall； on her way to the study； Stella noticed
an unopened letter； addressed to Romayne； lying on a table in a
corner。 He had probably laid it aside and forgotten it。 She
entered his room with the letter in her hand。
The only light was a reading lamp； with the shade so lowered that
the corners of the study were left in obscurity。 In one of these
corners Romayne was dimly visible； sitting with his head sunk on
his breast。 He never moved when Stella opened the door。 At first
she thought he might be asleep。
〃Do I disturb you； Lewis？〃 she asked softly。
〃No； my dear。〃
There was a change in the tone of his voice； which his wife's
quick ear detected。 〃I am afraid you are not well；〃 she said
anxiously。
〃I am a little tired after our long ride to…day。 Do you want to
go back to the Belvidere？〃
〃Not without you。 Shall I leave you to rest here？〃
He seemed not to hear the question。 There he sat； with his head
hanging down； the shadowy counterfeit of an old man。 In her
anxiety； Stella approached him； and put her hand caressingly on
his head。 It was burning hot。 〃O！〃 she cried； 〃you _are_ ill； and
you are trying to hide it from me。〃
He put his arm round her waist and made her sit on his knee。
〃Nothing is the matter with me；〃 he said； with an uneasy laugh。
〃What have you got in
your hand？ A letter？〃
〃Yes。 Addressed to you and not opened yet。〃 He took it out of her
hand； and threw it carelessly on a sofa near him。 〃Never mind
that now！ Let us talk。〃 He paused； and kissed her； before he went
on。 〃My darling； I think you must be getting tired of Vange？〃
〃Oh； no！ I can be happy anywhere with youand especially at
Vange。 You don't how this noble old house interests me； and how I
admire the glorious country all round it。〃
He was not convinced。 〃Vange is very dull；〃 he said； obstinately；
〃and your friends will be wanting to see you。 Have you heard from
your mother lately？〃
〃No。 I am surprised she has not written。〃
〃She has not forgiven us for getting married so quietly；〃 he went
on。 〃We had better go back to London and make our peace with her。
Don't you want to see the house my aunt left me at Highgate？〃
Stella sighed。 The society of the man she loved was society
enough for her。 Was he getting tired of his wife already？ 〃I will
go with you wherever you like。〃 She said those words in tones of
sad submission； and gently got up from his knee。
He rose also； and took from the sofa the letter which he had
thrown on it。 〃Let us see what our friends say；〃 he resumed。 〃The
address is in Loring's handwriting。〃
As he approached the table on which the lamp was burning； she
noticed that he moved with a languor that was new in her
experience of him。 He sat down and opened the letter。 She watched
him with an anxiety which had now become intensified to
suspicion。 The shade of the lamp still prevented her from seeing
his face plainly。 〃Just what I told you；〃 he said； 〃the Lorings
want to know when they are to see us in London； and your mother
says she 'feels like that character in Shakespeare who was cut by
his own daughters。' Read it。〃
He handed her the letter。 In taking it； she contrived to touch
the lamp shade； as if by accident； and tilted it so that the full
flow of the light fell on him。 He started backbut not before
she had seen the ghastly pallor on his face。 She had not only
heard it from Lady Loring； she knew from his own unreserved
confession to her what that startling change really meant。 In an
instant she was on her knees at his feet。 〃Oh； my darling；〃 she
cried； 〃it was cruel to keep _that_ secret from your wife！ You
have heard it again！〃
She was too irresistibly beautiful； at that moment； to be
reproved。 He gently raised her from the floorand owned the
truth。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃I heard it after you left me on the
Belviderejust as I heard it on another moonlight night； when
Major Hynd was here with me。 Our return to this house is perhaps
the cause。 I don't complain； I have had a long release。〃
She threw her arms round his neck。 〃We will leave Vange
to…morrow；〃 she said。
It was firmly spoken。 But her heart sank as the words passed her
lips。 Vange Abbey had been the scene of the most unalloyed
happiness in her life。 What destiny was waiting for her when she
returned to London？
CHAPTER II。
EVENTS AT TEN ACRES。
THERE was no obstacle to the speedy departure of Romayne and his
wife from Vange Abbey。 The villa at Highgatecalled Ten Acres
Lodge； in allusion to the measurement of the grounds surrounding
the househad been kept in perfect order by the servants of the
late Lady Berrick； now in the employment of her nephew。
On the morning after their arrival at the villa； Stella sent a
note to her mother。 The same afternoon； Mrs。 Eyrecourt arrived at
Ten Acreson her way to a garden…party。 Finding the house； to
her great relief； a modern building； sup