"I suppose I must," was the reply of my lady. "But people have been calling her an old maid."
Sir Edmund laughed. "How they will be disappointed! Some of their eyes may be opened to-night. I shall not deem it necessary to make a secret of our engagement now."
"You must permit me to ask one question, Sir Edmund. Have you and Decima corresponded?"
"No. We separated for the time entirely. The engagement existing in our own hearts alone."
"I am glad to hear it. I did not think Decima would have carried on a correspondence unknown to me."
"I am certain that she would not. And for that reason I never asked her to do so. Until I met Decima to-night, Lady Verner, we have had no communication with each other since I left. But I am quite sure that neither of us has doubted the other for a single moment."
"It has been a long while to wait," mused Lady Verner, as they entered the presence of Decima, who started up to receive them.