“John, can you settle the matter of the mill now?  I want no more to do with it and you know you promised to buy my share in that case.”

“I want to build my home.  I cannot build and buy at the same time.”

“Why need you build?  There is Hatton Hall for you, and mother will not object to the nobly born Jane Harlow.”

“We will not talk of Miss Harlow.  Harry, my dear, dear brother, you have come home to turn everything upside down.  Let me have a little time to think.  Go and see mother.  I will talk to you immediately afterwards.  Where did you leave the yacht?”

“At London.  I disliked Captain Cook.  I felt as if I was with a tutor of some sort all the time.  He said he would take the yacht to her wharf at Whitby and then write to you.  You ought to have a letter today.  I don’t think you are very glad to see me, John.”

“Oh, Harry, you have married that girl, quite regardless of how your marriage would affect your family!  You ought to have given us some time to prepare ourselves for such a change.”

“Lucy was in trouble, and I could not bear to see her in trouble.”

“Well, go and see mother.  Perhaps you can bear mother’s trouble more easily.”

“I hope mother will be kinder to me than you have been.  John, I have no money.  Let me have a thousand pounds till we settle about the mill.”

“Do you know what you are asking, Harry?  A thousand pounds would run Hatton Hall for a year.”

“I have to live decently, I suppose.”

With these words he left the mill and went at once to the Hall.  Mrs. Hatton was in the garden, tying up some straying branches of honeysuckle.  At her feet were great masses of snowdrops tall and white among moss and ivy, and the brown earthen beds around were cloth of gold with splendid crocus flowers; but beyond these things, she saw her son as soon as he reached the gate.  And she called him by his name full and heartily and stood with open arms to receive him.

Harry plunged at once into his dilemma.  “Mother!  Mother!” he cried, taking both her hands in his.  “Mother, John is angry with me, but you will stand by me, I know you will.  It is about Lucy, mother.  I found her in great trouble, and I took her out of it.  Don’t say I did wrong, mother.  Stand by me—­you always have done so.”

“You took her out of it!  Do you mean that you married her?”

“How else could I help her?  She is my wife now, and I will take care that no one troubles her.  May I bring her to see you, mother?”

Mrs. Hatton stood looking at Harry.  It was difficult for her to take in and believe what she heard, but in a few moments she said,

“Where is she?”

“At the little hotel in the village.”

“You must bring her here at once.  She ought never to have gone to the hotel.  Dear me!  What will people say?”

“Thank you, mother.”

“Take my victoria.  James is in the stable and he will drive it.  Go for your wife at once.  She must come to your home.”