“More than four years.”

“And you never told me?”

“My father wished it kept a secret for a time.”

“Did Mr. Wingfold know?”

“Not until yesterday.”

“Why didn’t he tell me yesterday, then?”

“I think he wouldn’t have told you if he had known all the time.”

“Why?”

“For the same reason that made him leave us together so suddenly—that you might not be hampered by knowing it—that we might understand each other before you knew. I see it all now! It was just like him!”

“He is a friend,” said Barbara.

A silent embrace followed, and then Barbara said, “You must come and see my mother.”

“Hadn’t you better tell her first?” suggested Richard.

“She knows—knows what you didn’t know—what I’ve been thinking all the time,” rejoined Barbara, with a rosy look of confidence in her eyes.

“She can never have been willing you should marry a tradesman—and one, besides, who—!”

“She knew I would—and that I should have money, otherwise she might not have been willing. I don’t say she likes the idea, but she is determined I shall have the man I love—if he will have me,” she added shyly.

“Did you tell her you—cared for me?”

He could not say loved yet. He felt like an earthly pebble beside a celestial sapphire!

“Of course I did, when papa wanted me to have Arthur—not till then. There was no reason to tell her before. I could not tell what your thoughts were, but my own were enough for that.”

Mrs. Wylder was taken with Richard the moment she saw him, and when she heard his story, she was overjoyed and would scarcely listen to a word about the uncertainty of his prospects. That her Bab should marry the man she loved, and that the alliance should be what the world counted respectable, was enough for her.

When Richard told his father what he had done, saying they had fallen in love with each other while yet ignorant of his parentage, a glow of more than satisfaction warmed sir Wilton’s consciousness. How lovely! lady Ann was being fooled on all sides!

“Richard has been making good use of his morning!” he said at dinner. “He has already proposed to Miss Wylder and been accepted! Richard is a man of action—a practical fellow!”

Lady Ann did perhaps turn a shade paler, but she smiled. It was not such a blow as it might have been, for she, too, had given up hope of securing Barbara for Arthur. But it was not pleasant to her that the grandchild of the blacksmith should have Barbara’s money.

— Fifty-Three —

The Quarrel

For a few weeks things went smoothly enough. The home-weather seemed to have grown settled. Lady Ann was not unfriendly. Richard, having provided himself with tools for the purpose, bound her prayer-book in violet velvet, and she had not seemed altogether ungrateful.

Arthur showed no active hostility, and indeed, seemed to be making efforts to behave as a brother ought to a brother he would rather not have found. They were even seen occasionally about the place together. Vixen had not once made a face to his face, I will not say she had made none to his back. Theodora and he were becoming friends. Miss Malliver, now a sort of upper slave to lady Ann, cringed to him.