And as he spoke, the earl kissed most tenderly the lovely, blushing face.
CHAPTER L.
"ONLY ONE OTHER PERSON KNOWS MY SECRET."
Then, with the gallantry that was always natural to him, the earl placed his daughter in a chair. He turned with a smile to Mark.
"I was a coward," he said, "for the second time in my life. I was afraid to look at her; now I do not see how I can look anywhere else. How am I to thank you? You have brought me the fairest and most graceful daughter in England!"
"Well," said Mark, with an air of great consideration, "you see, my lord, we had nothing to do with her grace and beauty; but my wife has certainly done her best to teach the young lady little tidy ways, and such like."
"I hope she has learned them," said the earl, kindly. "Mrs. Brace looks as though she could teach all goodness. And this is my daughter! Child, how like you are to me."
"I am very glad, papa; am I not like mother, too?"
"No," he replied, gravely, "not in the least. Thank Heaven for it!"
When they heard those words they thought that he had certainly married beneath him—that his marriage had not turned out happily.