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。