“Poor fool,” he said, “doubtless by some means he had obtained a knowledge of your heirship during our residence at my uncle’s hunting lodge, where we spent several seasons. He is a shrewd man, our new rector. But Morton, I cannot think so badly of him. Believe me, Zana, there is some explanation behind all this. Morton is a reserved, perhaps irresolute man in some things, but I cannot think him base, though there was a time when I thought otherwise.”
“And when was that?” I asked.
“It was rumored, Zana, that he had brought a companion with him to Scotland. I heard of your disappearance from Greenhurst at the same time, and believed you to be the inmate of that little farm-house. My mother joined in that belief.”
“Poor Cora,” I said, “the odium of her fault seems all to rest on me, her best friend.”
“Let us wait before we condemn my friend,” said Irving, generously. “In his situation of unjust dependence may be found, perhaps, some excuse for all this. Believe me, dear one, Morton is not a dishonorable man.”
“He is at any rate the rightful owner of Marston Court,” I answered; “but with your leave, he shall only take possession of it as Cora’s marriage portion.”
Irving smiled, and then we began to talk of ourselves again. He drew me close to his side, bent his flushed face to mine, and whispered a thousand sweet words that have little meaning, except to the one heart, which receives them like drops of honey-dew. In our great happiness we did not notice that the door had opened, and Lady Catherine stood in the entrance coolly regarding us.
We arose together, his arm still around me, his flushed face becoming serious and calm. “Mother,” he said, “receive Zana kindly, for this morning she has promised to be my wife.”
“Your wife! and is there no other way?” faltered the haughty woman; “must this sacrifice be made?”
“Sacrifice!” exclaimed Irving, looking down upon me with a glance of proud affection; “why, mother, I have loved the child from the first moment I saw her protecting that deer so bravely. It was this love which rendered it impossible for me to marry another.”