"Yes, yes," murmured Audrey, feverishly. "And I thought that you reminded me of someone."
"I remind you of the face you see in the glass," said the Colonel, with deep emotion. "You have my eyes, dear. Oh, my child--my darling Elsie."
"Ralph! Ralph!" muttered Mrs. Shawe. "What--what"--she stretched out her hands to her equally bewildered husband--"can it be true?"
"I believe it is true, Audrey--"
"Elsie--Elsie!" interrupted Colonel Ilse, vehemently.
"Well, then, Elsie--for the moment, at any rate," said the young husband. "I mentioned to you how impossible it was that Sir Joseph could be your father. He is not at all like you."
"Neither am I," said Lady Branwin, who had been looking at the embrace of the newly-discovered father with sad and envious eyes. "But you had better restrain your emotion." She rose and crossed the room to lay her hand on Audrey's arm, and in doing so brought herself near the door. "My dear, although I am not your mother you have been very dear to me. Don't forget me entirely, my child."
"No, no!" said Mrs. Shawe, much agitated. "I shall still look on you as my mother, dear Lady Branwin."
The woman winced at the name, and drew back. "I only ask you to think kindly of me," she said in a low voice, "for we may never meet again. When you know everything--"
"Oh, no, no!" cried poor Audrey, anxiously. "I have learnt as much as I can bear just now. I do not wish to hear anything more," and she clung to her husband, while her father tightly clasped her hand as though fearful of losing her again.