He bent down and kissed my face.

'Good-by, Philippa,' he said, 'may I find you as good and as beautiful as I leave you.' And then he went away.

That is just two years ago; no wonder that I am pleased at his return." Lady Peters looked anxiously at her.
"There was no regular engagement between you and Lord Arleigh, was there, Philippa ?" "What do you call a regular engagement ?" said the young heiress.

"He never made love to me, if that is what you mean--he never asked me to be his wife; but it was understood--always understood." "By whom ?" asked Lady Peters.
"My mother and his.

When Lady Arleigh lived, she spent a great deal of time at Verdun Royal with my mother; they were first cousins, and the dearest of friends.