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Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13424, 15 March 1907, Page 6

It was nine o'clock in the evening when he arrived. The tluke was in his study sorting out some botanical specimens, and Freda, iri the drawing-room, was listening to every sound and trying to bo calm, without succeeding. But Ernest might easily enter the castle and she know nothing until he showed himself or a servant announced his arrival. He had not wired to say what train he would come by, and as the station was only a mile beyond the park gates he would very likely walk. ' "He surely will com© to-night!" Freda said to herself the twentieth time at least, and just then the door opened and a footman appeared. " Lord Ernest has arrived, your grace ; he is in .the library and would like to see you." The duchess did not wait for an instant. She passed the servant and fairly ran down the broad stairs to the library. The door openod and closed, and Ernest turned quickly to meet his sister. She sprang to him with almost a cry, and he folded her in his arms and bowed his head down on. hers, and for minutes not a word was spoken. She felt how he quivered and she herself was. trembling ; but she would have understood even without that brief glimpse of his face. It was as she had known it must be ; all the anguish was over. He had come to her, who had suffered in his suffering, with glad news. He lifted his 'head at last and with unsteady lips kissed the happy tea re from her eyes. 'My sister," he whispered, "my loving sister 1 You knew — you guessed — from my message, how it was?" l \ Yes, Ernest; I am so happy! We have wronged her!" " Say rather I wronged her, Freda. I feel as if I could never forgive myself, but she will not hear me say so. 1 wanted to see you first, darling, alone — to tell you all. I told them only to let you know at present that I had come, and I want to bring Margherita to you very soon, Freda. She is in London." " Bring her to me, Ernest, as soon as sho can come. J feel as if I owo her reparation ; but I must love her for your sake. I am sure I shall for her own. Oh! Ernest — Ernest, my brother!" and the duchess broKe quite down, sobbing on his breast. He soothed her tenderly, mastering his own deep emotion for her sake ; and Freda soon grew calmer. Sho was a woman of strong will and never gave way to what she deemed weakness. "Come!" sho said, lifting a tearful face. " Come and tell me all I am longing to hear. Yes, that's right, 3 ' as he placed her in a chair and dropped on his knee beside her. '? "Why, you look changed already, Ernest," putting back the dark curls from his brow, "a sort of light over your face. Ah! she. is a very, very happy, fortunate woman, who has won you for her true knight!" 1 ' Say tliat I am a happy man who have won her for my true lady!" he answered, smiling. . " Happy, too, that I have such a sister as my darling Freda." She shook her head a little at the last. ••But tell mo,", she said, "all that I may know." So he told her how Margherita had explained the truth, challenging Folkard to repeat the lie he had uttered against her ; and how she, suspecting from one thing and another that she was suppospd to have wronged Lilian in some way, had sent for Austin Savile and questioned him about Lilian, binding him to secrecy. " Savilo kept counsel," Ernest said; " he never breathed a hint to me." "Poor Margherita!" said Freda, gently ; ' ' how noble she has been all through and I thought her cruel ; and yet when I saw her she drew me to her. I could scarcely resist her fascination." '* Dear Freda!" the man said, almost in a whisper, and leaned his head down on her breast, so resting for a long, long time. This fulness of joy, this exquiste peace, after the long storm and stress, " hopo lifted, doubt expressed," was such rest, such heaven, it hardly scorned as if it could be real.

Alter a time, when both v/ero more calm, Freda asked if Margherita had come with him. "As far as. Paris," ho answered; "then I came on, and she crossed later." " And I suppose," Freda smiled, "you will be married soon." " Very coon. Margheritu was so good to mo."' "How could she help it, Ernest? She must bo married from here, of course, and Bertie shall be her page, as she can't have bridesmaids. What a pity ! Some of your young cousins would be so delighted to play bridesmaids. And oh, Ernest! what will the girls say to you? lam afraid, though, they long ago gave you up, seeing that you worshipped at this Italian shrine." There was one whom both thought of in this connection, but neither al-

hided to her. Ernest only laughed. Then he rose and asked, for the duke. ' ' I must tell him about ' his new sister-in-law," he said,. " Poor Edendale! What will he say?" " He got hold of a vague idea that you were extremely interested in that quarter, Ernest ; but he" will be perfectly satisfied if you and I are. But he is poking over specimens, so you can come and have something to eat before .you see him — that is, if you can descend to anything so sublunary as food." Freda sat with her brother, while he took the little food he seemed to need, and he asked where Folkard was. " You needn't be afraid," he said, coolly ; " the fellow's contemptible lie is not worth notice. Besides, to horsewhip him would only create a scandal, and perhaps drag out Lilian's name.' No — I was only asking about him out of a sort of curiosity !"

"Well," said Freda, "I hear from Grasslands that Tessie Danvers has beon rather startling the proprieties by clandestine meetings with Folkard." "Really? lie. ,jvas staying somewhere near when I was at Grasslands. He passed us once when we were out riding." " I suppose Tessie thought half a loaf better than noJ?road,V said the duchess, "and she has a turn for intrigue; so she and Folkard have been meeting, and Mrs. Gray and Tessie left Grasslands abruptly yesterday." " I wish him no worse fate than to marry Tessie," said Beaudesert. He paused for a moment. "And Evie?" he added. " She returned to town two days ago. They are going to visit some friends in a few days — people I. don't know." " Evie in town?- I didn't .know it, of course/ "Why? Shall you call in Upper Brook Street?" He shook his head, his eyes drooped a little. " No," he said quietly. " Best not !" Freda sighed. She did not speak for a minute. Then bile said: " Poor Sayilei he is so fond of her. Did you think -from what you saw at Grasslands there was any hope for him?" " No," he answered, in a low, pained tone, " none — then.; but Evie is young. She will learn to, love. Austin if he i& patient."