her."
Lord Saxham was very subdued, very penitent, but there was still some ofthe old Adam left in him. He answered quickly; the voice was stillquavering, but there was in it a querulous note.
"You mean that--"
Lady Mary lifted a warning finger; she knew he was going to say "minx."
"Father, please, this is no time for old and foolish animosities. Guy'slife is at stake, through his noble, perhaps exaggerated, sense ofhonour. You and I are powerless to alter his determination. There isjust a chance that Isobel will be more successful. Will you put yourpride in your pocket and ask her to plead with him?"
It was a hard struggle, but in the end Lord Saxham's affection for hisson won. The old aristocrat gave in.
"Do what you like, Mary. I will consent to anything to get Guy back."
Mary moved swiftly to the writing-table. "I shall ask her and herfather to come to us to-morrow for a visit with the view of yoursanctioning her engagement to Guy. I shall ask her to wire theiracceptance."
The Earl sat as in a dream, while she wrote; dimly he realised thatevents had taken a turn which he could not approve. But there was noother course left. Mary's letter was brief.
"My Dearest Isobel,--My father has consented to approve your engagementto Guy. We shall both be delighted if you and General Clandon will payus a visit. Please come to-morrow, if possible. In that case, send mea wire on receipt of this note.
"Yours affectionately,
"Mary Rossett."
Isobel received that letter next morning. She carried it to her fatherwith shining eyes.
The General read it, and kissed her.
"Good news, indeed, my dear little girl. Lady Mary seems a witch, andable to work miracles."
"Oh, isn't she a darling?" cried Isobel enthusiastically. "Shall I sendthe wire at once?" The wire was sent. Poor Isobel was a littledistressed about the scantiness of her wardrobe. But she took heart ofgrace when she reflected that this was sure to be quite a private visit.It was not likely there would be other guests on such an especiallyfamily occasion.
Lady Mary met them at the station. She kissed Isobel affectionately,and shook the General, who looked very aristocratic and dignified,warmly by the hand.
"How did you manage it, you darling?" whispered Isobel as they sattogether in the car.
"Circumstances went in my favour; it is not quite entirely due to my owndiplomacy," answered Mary a little shyly. She knew that, in a way, shehad struck a bargain with her aristocratic and obstinate old father, thechance of saving Guy against his indomitable pride.
And she knew also that Isobel's faithful heart would be very woundedwhen she learned the fact of her sweetheart's peril.
"You will know all about it after dinner to-night," she added evasively."You must rein in your impatience till then."
Isobel smiled happily. The world was rose-coloured to-day. Was not thelast obstacle to her happiness removed? Would not her beloved Guy marryher in the sight of the whole world? His world as well as her own?
Lord Saxham was awaiting them in the big hall, having now fullyreconciled himself to the situation. He had many faults; he wascholeric, obstinate, and a good deal of an opportunist. But whateverline of action he took, even if he somewhat stultified himself in theprocess, he always bore himself with a certain dignity.
His meeting with the Clandons was expressive of his methods. He heldout his right hand cordially to the General. With his left he drewIsobel towards him, and printed a fatherly kiss upon her forehead.
"Welcome to Ticehurst, my dear child, which henceforth you must lookupon as a second home. If Guy were here to-day our happiness would becomplete."
The warm-hearted Isobel was ready to burst into tears. The Earl wasbehaving like a gentleman; she forgave him his former obduracy. Afterall, was it not natural that he should wish Guy to marry a woman in hisown world?
They had a very elaborate dinner, to which the host and the General didfull justice. Isobel was too happy to care about food. Lady Mary atejust enough to keep her alive, according to her usual custom.
After dinner they went into one of the small drawing-rooms. Here LordSaxham, in very happy phrases, expressed his cordial consent to theengagement between Guy and Isobel. The men shook hands, the two girlskissed each other. It was a charming family scene.
And then, in a manner, the real business of the evening began. LadyMary began to explain things in a low and hesitating voice, that oftenfaltered.
She felt just a little ashamed of her task. Isobel was quite innocent,but she was not without brains. The General, she was sure, was quitekeen. When she finished her recital, she knew both father and daughterwould attribute the Earl's sudden conversion to its proper cause.
But Mary had not quite finished, when the Earl broke in, in his usualimpetuous way.
"You see, Isobel,"--he had by now taken quite whole-heartedly to theidea of her as his daughter-in-law--"we must have Guy back as quickly aspossible. At the present moment, you are the person who has thegreatest influence over him. No doubt, at a word from you he willcome."
Isobel indulged in a rather forced smile; it struck Mary that there wassomething a little enigmatic in that smile. Of course, Lord Saxham hadblundered as usual, he had revealed the truth just a little too nakedly.Isobel was reckoning up her welcome at its true value, so far as herhost was concerned.
This, of course, Isobel did, so did her father. But she was toosensible a girl to be offended. She, was, perhaps, a littledisappointed that she did not owe this swift change of policy to hertrue friend. Lady Mary.
She thought a little before she spoke. "Are you quite sure that Guywould come back, if I implored him to do so," she said at length.
She turned towards Lord Saxham with a pleasant smile that robbed herwords of any subtle impertinence.
"Guy has always told me that there is a strong vein of obstinacy in theRossett family. Perhaps,"--and here a proud light came into hereyes--"I could influence him more than anybody else in the world."
Mary looked imploringly at her.
"And, Isobel, you will use that influence of course?"
"I will tell you something that, up to the present, I have only told myfather," replied the girl quietly. "I knew of all this some little timeago. My cousin, Maurice Farquhar, has a great friend, half Spanish,half English, who is also a journalist. He told my cousin that dangerwas threatening Guy. Maurice told me. You can guess what I felt. Guyis as dear to me as he is to you."
"Of course, there is no need to tell us that," cried Lady Mary hastily.
"My first impulse was to write to Guy, tell him what I had heard, andimplore him to leave this dangerous country. I consulted my father. Idid not write that letter. Many a night I have lain awake, and in themorning resolved to write it. It is still unwritten."
The Earl's face bore a puzzled expression. Lady Mary seemed somewhatbewildered too. General Clandon alone displayed no emotion.
"I don't understand," breathed Mary softly.
"Oh, can't you see?" cried Isobel quickly. "Suppose Guy yielded to myprayers, and seized some excuse to come back! Might he not in afteryears reproach me for having induced him to play a coward's part?Surely you can understand what I feel."
And, in one swift moment of comprehension, the worldly and opportunistEarl and his far nobler daughter understood.
Lady Mary looked at her father with a triumphant smile. She had gaugedIsobel aright from the first.
Gone for ever the dishonouring suspicions of a designing young womanseeking to make her fortune by a wealthy marriage. It was all tooobvious. With Guy's departure from Spain, Isobel had everything togain. With his sojourn in that dangerous country she stood to loseeverything.
"Whether I marry Guy or not," went on the low, sweet voice, breaking atthe end into a little sob, "his honour is my first consideration."
The General's deep tones broke the intense silence that succeeded thosefew words.
"Lord Saxham, Lady Mary, I most heartily approve Isobel's attitude. Iam sure Mr Rossett feels as I do in this matter. If he deserted hispost at this juncture, he would be like the soldier who runs away on thebattlefield."
Lord Saxham looked at the beautiful, slender girl, so noble in herself-sacrificing love.
"My dear," he said, in tones that were a little unsteady, "you are awonderful woman. Guy could not have chosen more wisely. I am sorry--very sorry--" He broke off. It was not perhaps precisely the moment toapologise for his previous obstinacy, his rancour against "the littlegirl who lived in a cottage at Eastbourne."
Lady Mary went round the table, put her arms round her, and kissed herwarmly.
"You are a brave and beautiful darling," she said, with a woman'senthusiasm. "You have taught both