‘And I want to speak to her,’ said Mary.

She ran quickly upstairs and arrived in the morning room, a little out of breath.  The room was lighted by one low moderator lamp, under a dark red velvet shade, and there was the glow of the wood fire, which gave a more cheerful light than the lamp.  Lady Maulevrier was lying on her couch in a loose brocade tea-gown, with old Brussels collar and ruffles.  She was as well dressed in her day of affliction and helplessness as she had been in her day of strength; for she knew the value of surroundings, and that her stateliness and power were in some manner dependent on details of this kind.  The one hand which she could use glittered with diamonds, as she waved it with a little imperious gesture towards the chair on which she desired Lady Mary to seat herself; and Mary sat down meekly, knowing that this chair represented the felon’s dock.

‘Mary,’ began her grandmother, with freezing gravity, ’I have been surprised and shocked by your conduct to-day.  Yes, surprised at such conduct even in you.’

‘I do not think I have done anything very wrong, grandmother.’

’Not wrong!  You have done nothing wrong?  You have done something absolutely outrageous.  You, my granddaughter, well born, well bred, reared under my roof, to go up Helvellyn and lose yourself in a fog alone with a young man.  You could hardly have done worse if you were a Cockney tourist,’ concluded her ladyship, with ineffable disgust.

‘I could not help the fog,’ said Mary, quietly.  The battle had to be fought, and she was not going to flinch.  ’I had no intention of going up Helvellyn alone with Mr. Hammond.  Maulevrier was to have gone with us; but when we got to Dolly Waggon he was tired, and would not go any further.  He told me to go on with Mr. Hammond.’

’He told you!  Maulevrier!—­a young man who has spent some of the best hours of his youth in the company of jockeys and trainers—­who hasn’t the faintest idea of the fitness of things.  You allow Maulevrier to be your guide in a matter in which your own instinct should have guided you—­your womanly instinct!  But you have always been an unwomanly girl.  You have put me to shame many a time by your hoydenish tricks; but I bore with you, believing that your madcap follies were at least harmless.  To-day you have gone a step too far, and have been guilty of absolute impropriety, which I shall be very slow to pardon.’

‘Perhaps you will be still more angry when you know all, grandmother,’ said Mary.

Lady Maulevrier flashed her dark eyes at the girl with a look which would have almost killed a nervous subject; but Mary faced her steadfastly, very pale, but as resolute as her ladyship.

‘When I know all!  What more is there for me to know?’

’Only that while we were on the top of Helvellyn, in the fog and the wind, Mr. Hammond asked me to be his wife.’

‘I am not surprised to hear it,’ retorted her ladyship, with a harsh laugh.  ’A girl who could act so boldly and flirtingly was a natural mark for an adventurer.  Mr. Hammond no doubt has been told that you will have a little money by-and-by, and thinks he might do worse than marry you.  And seeing how you have flung yourself at his head, he naturally concludes that you will not be too proud to accept your sister’s leavings.’