SmithandJones——following，withtheotherguestsatWindygates，inLadyLundie’strain——exchangedtheiropinionsonthemeritsofthehouse，standingonaterraceattheback，nearaflightofstepswhichleddownintothegarden。Theyformedthevan-guardofthevisitors，appearingbytwosandthreesfromthereceptionrooms，andallbentongoingtoseetheswansbeforetheamusementsofthedaybegan。JuliusDelamayncameoutwiththefirstdetachment，recruitedSmithandJones，andotherwanderingbachelors，bytheway，andsetforthforthelake。Anintervalofaminuteortwopassed——andtheterraceremainedempty。Thentwoladies——attheheadofaseconddetachmentofvisitors——appearedundertheoldstoneporchwhichshelteredtheentranceonthatsideofthehouse。Oneoftheladieswasamodest，pleasantlittleperson，verysimplydressed。Theotherwasofthetallandformidabletypeof“finewomen，“cladindazzlingarray。ThefirstwasMrs。JuliusDelamayn。ThesecondwasLadyLundie。
“Exquisite!“criedherladyship，surveyingtheoldmullionedwindowsofthehouse，withtheirframingofcreepers，andthegrandstonebuttressesprojectingatintervalsfromthewall，eachwithitsbrightlittlecircleofflowersbloomingroundthebase。“IamreallygrievedthatSirPatrickshouldhavemissedthis。“
“Ithinkyousaid，LadyLundie，thatSirPatrickhadbeencalledtoEdinburghbyfamilybusiness？“
“Business，Mrs。Delamayn，whichisanythingbutagreeabletome，asonememberofthefamily。Ithasalteredallmyarrangementsfortheautumn。Mystep-daughteristobemarriednextweek。“
“Isitsonearasthat？MayIaskwhothegentlemanis？“
“Mr。ArnoldBrinkworth。“
“SurelyIhavesomeassociationwiththatname？“
“Youhaveprobablyheardofhim，Mrs。Delamayn，astheheirtoMissBrinkworth’sScotchproperty？“
“Exactly!HaveyoubroughtMr。Brinkworthhereto-day？“
“Ibringhisapologies，aswellasSirPatrick’s。TheywenttoEdinburghtogetherthedaybeforeyesterday。Thelawyersengagetohavethesettlementsreadyinthreeorfourdaysmore，ifapersonalconsultationcanbemanaged。Someformalquestion，I
believe，connectedwithtitle-deeds。SirPatrickthoughtthesafestwayandthespeediestwaywouldbetotakeMr。BrinkworthwithhimtoEdinburgh——togetthebusinessoverto-day——andtowaituntilwejointhem，onourwaysouth，to-morrow。“
“YouleaveWindygates，inthislovelyweather？“
“Mostunwillingly!Thetruthis，Mrs。Delamayn，Iamatmystep-daughter’smercy。Herunclehastheauthority，asherguardian——andtheusehemakesofitistogiveherherownwayineverything。ItwasonlyonFridaylastthatsheconsentedtoletthedaybefixed——andeventhenshemadeitapositiveconditionthatthemarriagewasnottotakeplaceinScotland。
Purewillfulness!ButwhatcanIdo？SirPatricksubmits；andMr。
Brinkworthsubmits。IfIamtobepresentatthemarriageImustfollowtheirexample。Ifeelitmydutytobepresent——and，asamatterofcourse，Isacrificemyself。WestartforLondonto-morrow。“
“IsMissLundietobemarriedinLondonatthistimeofyear？“
“No。Weonlypassthrough，onourwaytoSirPatrick’splaceinKent——theplacethatcametohimwiththetitle；theplaceassociatedwiththelastdaysofmybelovedhusband。Anothertrialfor_me!_Themarriageistobesolemnizedonthesceneofmybereavement。MyoldwoundistobereopenedonMondaynext——simplybecausemystep-daughterhastakenadisliketoWindygates。“
“Thisdayweek，then，isthedayofthemarriage？“
“Yes。Thisdayweek。TherehavebeenreasonsforhurryingitwhichIneednottroubleyouwith。NowordscansayhowIwishitwasover——But，mydearMrs。Delamayn，howthoughtlessofmetoassail_you_withmyfamilyworries!Youaresosympathetic。
Thatismyonlyexcuse。Don’tletmekeepyoufromyourguests。I
couldlingerinthissweetplaceforever!WhereisMrs。Glenarm？“
“Ireallydon’tknow。Imissedherwhenwecameoutontheterrace。Shewillverylikelyjoinusatthelake。Doyoucareaboutseeingthelake，LadyLundie？“
“IadorethebeautiesofNature，Mrs。Delamayn——especiallylakes!“
“Wehavesomethingtoshowyoubesides；wehaveabreedofswansonthelake，peculiartotheplace。Myhusbandhasgoneonwithsomeofourfriends；andIbelieveweareexpectedtofollow，assoonastherestoftheparty——inchargeofmysister——haveseenthehouse。“
“Andwhatahouse，Mrs。Delamayn!Historicalassociationsineverycornerofit!Itis_such_arelieftomymindtotakerefugeinthepast。WhenIamfarawayfromthissweetplaceI
shallpeopleSwanhavenwithitsdepartedinmates，andsharethejoysandsorrowsofcenturiessince。“
AsLadyLundieannounced，intheseterms，herintentionofaddingtothepopulationofthepast，thelastoftheguestswhohadbeenroamingovertheoldhouseappearedundertheporch。Amongthemembersformingthisfinaladditiontothegarden-partywereBlanche，andafriendofherownagewhomshehadmetatSwanhaven。Thetwogirlslaggedbehindtherest，talkingconfidentially，arminarm——thesubjectitissurelyneedlesstoaddbeingthecomingmarriage。
“But，dearestBlanche，whyareyounottobemarriedatWindygates？“
“IdetestWindygates，Janet。Ihavethemostmiserableassociationswiththeplace。Don’taskmewhattheyare!Theeffortofmylifeisnottothinkofthemnow。IlongtoseethelastofWindygates。Asforbeingmarriedthere，IhavemadeitaconditionthatIamnottobemarriedinScotlandatall。“
“WhathaspoorScotlanddonetoforfeityourgoodopinion，mydear？“
“PoorScotland，Janet，isaplacewherepeopledon’tknowwhethertheyaremarriedornot。Ihaveheardallaboutitfrommyuncle。
AndIknowsomebodywhohasbeenavictim——aninnocentvictim——toaScotchmarriage。“
“Absurd，Blanche!Youarethinkingofrunawaymatches，andmakingScotlandresponsibleforthedifficultiesofpeoplewhodaren’townthetruth!“
“Iamnotatallabsurd。IamthinkingofthedearestfriendI
have。Ifyouonlyknew——“
“Mydear!_I_amScotch，remember!Youcanbemarriedjustaswell——Ireallymustinsistonthat——inScotlandasinEngland。“
“IhateScotland!“
“Blanche!“
“IneverwassounhappyinmylifeasIhavebeeninScotland。I
neverwanttoseeitagain。IamdeterminedtobemarriedinEngland——fromthedearoldhousewhereIusedtolivewhenIwasalittlegirl。Myuncleisquitewilling。_He_understandsmeandfeelsforme。“
“Isthatasmuchastosaythat_I_don’tunderstandyouandfeelforyou？PerhapsIhadbetterrelieveyouofmycompany，Blanche？“
“Ifyouaregoingtospeaktomeinthatway，perhapsyouhad!“
“AmItohearmynativecountryrundownandnottosayawordindefenseofit？“
“Oh!youScotchpeoplemakesuchafussaboutyournativecountry!“
“_We_Scotchpeople!youareofScotchextractionyourself，andyououghttobeashamedtotalkinthatway。Iwishyougood-morning!“
“Iwishyouabettertemper!“
Aminutesincethetwoyoungladieshadbeenliketwinrosesononestalk。Nowtheypartedwithredcheeksandhostilesentimentsandcuttingwords。Howardentisthewarmthofyouth!howunspeakablydelicatethefragilityoffemalefriendship!
TheflockofvisitorsfollowedMrs。Delamayntotheshoresofthelake。Forafewminutesaftertheterracewasleftasolitude。
Thenthereappearedundertheporchasinglegentleman，loungingoutwithaflowerinhismouthandhishandsinhispockets。ThiswasthestrongestmanatSwanhaven——otherwise，GeoffreyDelamayn。
Afteramomentaladyappearedbehindhim，walkingsoftly，soasnottobeheard。ShewassuperblydressedafterthenewestandthemostcostlyParisiandesign。Thebroochonherbosomwasasinglediamondofresplendentwaterandgreatsize。Thefaninherhandwasamaster-pieceofthefinestIndianworkmanship。Shelookedwhatshewas，apersonpossessedofplentyofsuperfluousmoney，butnotadditionallyblestwithplentyofsuperfluousintelligencetocorrespond。Thiswasthechildlessyoungwidowofthegreatironmaster——otherwise，Mrs。Glenarm。
Therichwomantappedthestrongmancoquettishlyontheshoulderwithherfan。“Ah!youbadboy!“shesaid，withaslightly-laboredarchnessoflookandmanner。“HaveIfoundyouatlast？“
Geoffreysaunteredontotheterrace——keepingtheladybehindhimwithathoroughlysavagesuperioritytoallcivilizedsubmissiontothesex——andlookedathiswatch。
“IsaidI’dcomeherewhenI’dgothalfanhourtomyself，“hemumbled，turningtheflowercarelesslybetweenhisteeth。“I’vegothalfanhour，andhereIam。“
“Didyoucomeforthesakeofseeingthevisitors，ordidyoucomeforthesakeofseeingMe？“
Geoffreysmiledgraciously，andgavethefloweranotherturninhisteeth。“You。Ofcourse。“
Theiron-master’swidowtookhisarm，andlookedupathim——asonlyayoungwomanwouldhavedaredtolookup——withthesearchingsummerlightstreaminginitsfullbrilliancyonherface。