“Did he believe it?” I asked, in a trembling voice.

“I do not know,” he answered; “I cannot tell, even now, whether he knew them to be forgeries or not.  But I have no doubt, myself, that they were forged by Mrs. Foster’s brother and his partner, Scott and Brown.”

“But for what reason?” I asked again.

“What reason!” he repeated; “you were too rich a prize for them to allow Foster to risk losing any part of his claim upon you, if he found you.  You and all you had were his property on certain defined conditions.  You do not understand our marriage laws; it is as well for you not to understand them.  Mrs. Foster gave up to me to-day all his papers, and the letters and credentials from your trustees in Melbourne to your bankers here.  There will be very little trouble for you now.  Thank God! all your life lies clear and fair before you.”

I had still many questions to ask, but my lips trembled so much that I could not speak readily.  He was himself silent, probably because he also had so much to say.  All the others were sitting a little apart from us at a chess-table, where Dr. Senior and Miss Carey were playing, while Dr. John sat by holding Minima in his arm, though she was gazing wistfully across to Martin and me.

“You are tired, Olivia,” said Martin, after a time, “tired and sad.  Your eyes are full of tears.  I must be your doctor again for this evening, and send you to bed at once.  It is eleven o’clock already; but these people will sit up till after midnight.  You need not say good-night to them.—­Minima, come here.”

She did not wait for a second word, or a louder summons; but she slipped under Dr. John’s arm, and rushed across to us, being caught by Martin before she could throw herself upon me.  He sat still, talking to her for a few minutes, and listening to her account of our journey, and how frightened we were at the grandeur about us.  His face lit up with a smile as his eyes fell upon me, as if for the first time he noticed how out of keeping I was with the place.  Then he led us quietly away, and up-stairs to my bedroom-door.

“Good-night, Olivia,” he said; “sleep soundly, both of you, for you are at home.  I will send one of the maids up to you.”

“No, no,” I cried hastily, “they despise us already.”

“Ah!” he said, “to-night you are the Olivia I knew first, in Sark.  In a week’s time I shall find you a fine lady.”

CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SIXTH.

SEEING SOCIETY.

Whether or no I was transformed into a finer lady than Martin anticipated, I could not tell, but certainly after that first evening he held himself aloof from me.  I soon learned to laugh at the dismay which had filled me upon my entrance into my new sphere.  It would have been difficult to resist the cordiality with which I was adopted into the household.  Dr. Senior treated me as his daughter; Dr. John was as much at home with me as if I had been his sister.  We often rode together, for I was always fond of riding as a child, and he was a thorough horseman.  He said Martin could ride better than himself; but Martin never asked me to go out with him.