"Why, how soon you have come! I am so glad!" exclaimed Violet, rising to welcome the new visitor.
"That is because, instead of sending, I went for him," explained Mr. Fabian.
"So I suspected when I found that you did not return immediately to the parlor," said Violet.
Mr. Clarence meanwhile went to his niece, took her hand and kissed her in silence. He could not trust his voice to speak. She understood him, and returned the pressure of his hand. If it had not been for Violet, the evening would have passed very gloomily; but she, who knew nothing of the domestic tempest that had driven Cora from home, nor even of the impending separation in the morning, and who heartily enjoyed the presence of her two favorite relatives in the house, kept the party enlivened by her own good spirits and gay talk.
Once during the evening Clarence and Cora found themselves far enough off from their friends for a short tete-a-tete, in which there was a brief but perfect explanation between them.
Then Clarence announced his intention of escorting her to Washington and seeing her safe under the protection of the Nevilles.
Cora strongly opposed this plan, on the ground that his escort was unnecessary and might be deeply offensive to Mr. Rockharrt.
But Clarence was firm.
"You may turn your back on me, Cora. You may refuse to speak to me during the whole journey. But you cannot prevent me from going on the same train with you, and so becoming your guardian on the journey," said Clarence.
Cora's answer to this was prevented by the approach of Violet, who said: