—Jean Ingelow.
Earle Winans, acting on his mother's hints, had wasted no time in the prosecution of his love-affair and he did not lack a friend in Lord Chester.
Consequently a strategic movement had brought about a communication between the estranged lovers, and Earle's tender letter, avowing his renewed love for Ladybird, brought a repentant one from his darling that placed everything on a very desirable footing, except that it was impossible for them to meet. Mr. Stanley's ward was guarded as jealously as any prisoner, and but for a servant in the house, who was open to bribery, the letters of the young lovers would never have reached them.
However, in spite of the opposing fates, Earle and Arthur had planned a coup de main which, with Ladybird's consent, was successfully carried out.
Aura Stanley was still too much in love with Earle Winans to reject the dainty basket of roses that arrived one morning by messenger with a note asking leave to call that evening, and signed duly by Lord Chester and Earle.
"They think they will see Ladybird, but I will outwit them," she thought angrily, and replied by giving them permission to call.
Mrs. Stanley was charged not to let her weary little slave escape from her couch that evening.
"Make her read aloud to you, mamma, or bathe your forehead with camphor—anything, so that she does not get a moment downstairs," Aura said imperiously, before going down in her magnificent crimson silk gown, in which she hoped to capture Earle's admiration if not his heart.
And she thought she was succeeding when she saw how his eyes lingered on her, and noted his smiles when she adroitly referred to "last summer, when they had been such friends, before that little misunderstanding."
He smiled and he said yes, but in a noncommittal way that was rather puzzling. However, she thought they were really getting on nicely, and was proud of the sociability of her visitors, building high hopes for the future, when suddenly a startling peal on the door-bell was followed by the information that Mr. Winans was wanted at once on important business, by some person unknown.