A few words, and all might have been told;
it was too late now to utter them. Proud of her and fond of her
as she saw Lord Earle was, there would be no indulgence for her
if her secret was discovered.
She would have to leave the magnificent and luxurious home, the
splendor that delighted her, the glorious prospects opening to
her, and return to the Elms, perhaps never to leave it again.
Ah, no! The secret must be kept! She did not feel much alarmed;
many things might happen. Perhaps the "Seagull" might be lost
she thought, without pain or sorrow, of the possible death of the
man who loved her as few love.
Even if he returned, he might have forgotten her or never find
her. She did not feel very unhappy or ill at ease--the chances,
she thought, were many in her favor. She had but one thing to do
to keep all knowledge of her secret from Lord Earle.
Chapter XXIII
As time passed on all constraint between Lord Earle and his
daughters wore away; Ronald even wondered himself at the force of
his own love for them. He had made many improvements since his
return. He did wonders upon the estate; model cottages seemed to
rise by magic in place of the wretched tenements inhabited by
poor tenants; schools, almshouses, churches, all testified to his
zeal for improvement.
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