“Good-bye, Florence.”  And the two parted, hating each other as only female enemies can hate.  But Florence, when she was in the carriage, threw herself on to her mother’s neck and kissed her.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

MR. PROSPER CHANGES HIS MIND.

When Florence with her mother reached Cheltenham she found a letter lying for her, which surprised her much.  The the letter was from Harry, and seemed to have been written in better spirits than he had lately displayed.  But it was very short: 

“DEAREST FLORENCE,—­When can I come down?  It is absolutely necessary that I should see you.  All my plans are likely to be changed in the most extraordinary manner.

“Nobody can say that this is a love-letter.

“Yours affectionately, H. A.”

Florence, of course, showed the letter to her mother, who was much frightened by its contents.  “What am I to say to him when he comes?” she exclaimed.

“If you will be so very, very good as to see him you must not say anything unkind.”

“Unkind!  How can I say anything else than what you would call unkind?  I disapprove of him altogether.  And he is coming here with the express object of taking you away from me.”

“Oh no;—­not at once.”

“But at some day,—­which I trust may be very distant.  How can I speak to him kindly when I feel that he is my enemy?” But the matter was at last set at rest by a promise from Florence that she would not marry her lover in less than three years without her mother’s express consent.  Three years is a long time, was Mrs. Mountjoy’s thought, and many things might occur within that term.  Harry, of whom she thought all manner of unnatural things, might probably in that time have proved himself to be utterly unworthy.  And Mountjoy Scarborough might again have come forward in the light of the world.  She had heard of late that Mountjoy had been received once more into his father’s full favor.  And the old man had become so enormously rich through the building of mills which had been going on at Tretton, that, as Mrs. Mountjoy thought, he would be able to make any number of elder sons.  On the subject of entail her ideas were misty; but she felt sure that Mountjoy Scarborough would even yet become a rich man.  That Florence should be made to change on that account she did not expect.  But she did think that when she should have learned that Harry was a murderer, or a midnight thief, or a wicked conspirator, she would give him up.  Therefore she agreed to receive him with not actually expressed hostility when he should call at Montpelier Place.