“But, pray, why should everything be necessarily at an end?”

“For two or three reasons, Mrs. Toplady.  One will suffice.  After Miss Tomalin had left the room, Lady Ogram insisted on my making offer of immediate marriage to Miss Bride.  Being plainly released from the other obligation, I did so—­and Miss Bride gave her consent.”

Mrs. Toplady arched her eyebrows, and rippled a pleasant laugh.

“Ah!  That, of course, May could not know.  I may presume that, this time, the engagement is serious?”

“Undoubtedly,” Lashmar replied, grave yet bland.

“Then I can only ask you to pardon my interference.”

“Not at all.  You have shown great kindness, and, under other circumstances, we should not have differed for a moment as to the course it behooved me to follow.”

Dyce had never heard himself speak so magnanimously; he smiled with pleasure, and continued in a peculiarly suave voice.

“I am sure Miss Tomalin will find in you a steadfast friend.”

“I shall do. what I can for her, of course,” was the rather dry answer.  “At the same time, I hold to my view of Miss Bride’s responsibility.  The girl has really nothing to live upon; a miserable hundred a year; all very well when she belonged to the family at Northampton, but useless now she is adrift.  To tell you the truth, I shall wait with no little curiosity for Miss Bride’s—­ and your—­decision.”

“Need I say that Miss Bride will be absolutely free to take any step she likes?”

“How could I doubt it?” exclaimed the lady, with her most expressive smile.  “Do you allow me to make known the—­the renewal. of your engagement?”

“Certainly,” Dyce answered, beaming upon her.

Mrs. Toplady rose.

“I am so happy to have been the first to bring you the news.  But it a little surprises me that you had not learnt it already from Miss Bride, who knew all about the will two days ago.”

“Why should it surprise you?” said Lashmar, gently, as he took her hand.  “Naturally I have kept away from Rivenoak, supposing Miss Tomalin to be still there; and Miss Bride was not likely to be in haste to communicate a piece of news which, strictly speaking, hardly concerns me at all.”

“Be sure you come to see me when you are in town,” were Mrs. Toplady’s last words.

And her eyes twinkled with appreciation of Lashmar’s demeanour.

CHAPTER XXVI

Dyce walked about the room.  Without knowing it, he sang softly to himself.  His countenance was radiant.