And truly the beautiful young wife, although she makes a lovely picture, presides with a gentle dignity all her own. Lord Dunforth has also resigned his place to Adrian, and he and his wife now sit side by side.
He seems to grow more tender of his gentle companion of late, as if he experienced a sort of remorse for the secret barrier which has stood between them all these long years, and thus their lives are being filled with a blessed content, as, with their faces turned toward the setting sun, they calmly await the evening rest.
They have several guests this morning at their table, and one has a very familiar, as well as a decidedly American appearance. It is Mr. Conrad, who has lately arrived in England to return a portion of that property which was intrusted to his care so many years ago.
The other guests are his wife, and ward—Miss Emily Eliot.
Brownie was delighted to receive a visit from them—it seemed almost to link her to the old life once more, for she still had a tender regard for her native land, although she never expected to make it her home again.
Adrian had been giving him a dramatic account of his so-called runaway marriage, and they had just concluded a hearty laugh at his expense, when the butler entered with the mail-bag.
“Now for the letters!” said the young man, and he unlocked the bag and began distributing them.
“Aha!” he said, with a mischievous glance across the table, as he took up a heavy missive directed, in a round, bold hand, to his wife. “May I inquire, madam, what gentleman correspondent you have in America?”
“When you get through inspecting the envelope, I will inspect the contents, and then, perhaps, I’ll tell you,” replied Brownie, saucily.
“You see, Mr. Conrad,” said Adrian, turning to the lawyer, with mock seriousness, “that although my wife is getting quite English in some respects, yet the American independence will crop out occasionally. I despair of ever eradicating that!” he added, with a fond look at the bright face bent so earnestly over the closely written pages she had unfolded.