The next morning they started early, and after two hours' riding approached the cottage where Adele had for two years lived with her old nurse. They dismounted at the door.
"Go you in, sir," said Rupert. "I will hold the horses. Your daughter will naturally like best to meet you alone."
The marquis nodded, lifted the latch of the door, and went in. There was a pause, and then he heard a cry of "Father!" just as the door closed. In another instant it opened again, and Margot stole out, escaping to leave her mistress alone with her father.
She ran down to the gate, looked at Rupert, and gave a little scream of pleasure, leaping and clapping her hands.
"I said so, monsieur. I always said so. 'When monsieur le marquis comes, mademoiselle, you be sure monsieur l'Anglais will come with him.'"
"And what did mademoiselle used to say?"
"Oh, she used to pretend she did not believe you would. But I knew better. I knew that when she said, over and over again, 'Is my father never coming for me?' she was thinking of somebody else. And are you come to take her away?"
Rupert nodded.
The girl's face clouded.
"Oh, how I shall miss her! But there, monsieur, the fact is--the fact is--"