“But my father is not living now, and I am down here again.”

“And your husband?  He did not accompany you?” said Mr Brandon.

“No,” replied Mrs Null, very quickly.  “We were both very sorry that it was not possible for him to come with me.”

Mr Brandon’s spirits began to rise.  This did not look quite like desertion.  “I have no doubt you have a very good husband.  I am sure you deserve such a one,” he said with the air of a father, and the purpose of a lawyer.

“Good!” exclaimed Mrs Null, her eyes sparkling.

“He couldn’t be better if he tried!  Will you have sweet milk, or buttermilk?”

“Buttermilk, if you please,” said Mr Brandon.  “Of course your aunt was delighted to have you with her again.”

“Oh,” said Mrs Null, with a laugh, “she was not at home when I arrived, but when she returned nothing could be too good for me.  Why, she had been here scarcely half an hour, and hadn’t taken off her sun-bonnet, before she told me I was to marry Junius and we two were to have this farm.”

“A very pleasant plan, truly,” said Mr Brandon.

“But then, you see,” continued the young girl, “Mr Null stood dreadfully in the way of such an arrangement; and when Aunt Keswick heard about him you can’t imagine what a change came over her.”

“Oh, yes I can; yes I can,” exclaimed Mr Brandon—­“I can imagine it very well.”

“But she didn’t give up a bit,” said Mrs Null.  “I don’t think she ever does give up.”

“You are right, there,” said Mr Brandon, “quite right.  But what does she propose to do?”

“I don’t know, I’m sure; but she said I had no right to marry without the consent of my surviving relatives, and that she was going to look into it.  I can’t think what she means by that.”

Mr Brandon made no immediate answer.  He gave Mrs Null some damson preserves, and he took some himself, and then he helped himself to a great hot roll, from a plate that Letty had just brought in, and carefully opening it he buttered it on the inside, and covered one-half of it with the damson preserves.  This he began slowly to eat, drinking at times from the foaming glass of buttermilk at the side of his plate, from which the coffee-cup had been removed.  When he had finished the half roll he again spoke.  “I think, my dear young lady, that your aunt is desirous of having your marriage set aside.”

“How can she do that?” exclaimed the girl, her face flushing.  “Has she been talking to you about it?”

“I cannot deny that she has spoken to me on the subject,” he answered, “I being a lawyer.  But I will say to you, in strict confidence, please, that if you and your husband are sincerely attached to each other there is nothing on earth she can do to separate you.”

“Attached!” exclaimed Mrs Null.  “It would be impossible for us to be more attached than we are.  We never have had the slightest difference, even of opinion, since our wedding day.  Why, I believe that we are more like one person than any married couple in the world.”