‘What ought I to do then?’

’How can I venture to answer that?  What she would like best, I think, would be to return to Matching with you, and settle down in a quiet way for the winter.’  The Duke shook his head.  That would be worse than travelling.  She would still have headaches and still tell him that she was unhappy.  ’Of course I do not know what your plans are, and pray believe me that I should not obtrude my advice if you did not ask me.’

‘I know it,’ he said.  ’I know how good you are and how reasonable.  I know how much you have to forgive.’

‘Oh no.’

’And if I have not said so as I should have done it has not been from want of feeling.  I do believe you did what you thought best when Mary told you that story at Matching.’

‘Why should your Grace go back to that?’

’Only that I may acknowledge my indebtedness to you, and say to you somewhat fuller than I could do in my letter that I am sorry for the pain which I gave you.’

‘All that is over now;—­and shall be forgiven.’

Then he spoke of his immediate plans.  He would at once go back to England by slow stages,—­by very slow stages,—­staying a day or two at Salzburg, at Ratisbon, at Nuremberg, at Frankfurt, and so on.  In this way he would reach England about the tenth of October, and Mary would then be ready to go to Custins by the time appointed.

In a day or two Lady Mary was better.  ’It is terrible while it lasts,’ she said, speaking to Mrs Finn of her headache, ’but when it has gone then I am quite well.  Only’—­she added after a pause,—­ ‘only I can never be happy again while papa thinks as he does now.’  Then there was a party made up before they separated for an excursion to the Hintersee and the Obersee.  On this occasion Lady Mary seemed to enjoy herself, as she liked the companionship of Mrs Finn.  Against Lady Cantrip she never said a word.  But Lady Cantrip was always a duenna to her, whereas Mrs Finn was a friend.  While the Duke and Phineas were discussing politics together, thoroughly enjoying the weakness of Lord Drummond and the iniquity of Sir Timothy, which they did with augmented vehemence from their ponies’ backs, the two women in lower voices talked over their own affairs.  ‘I dare say you will be happy at Custins,’ said Mrs Finn.

’No; I shall not.  There will be people there whom I don’t know, and I don’t want to know.  Have you heard anything about him, Mrs Finn?’

Mrs Finn turned round and looked at her,—­for a moment almost angrily.  Then her heart relented, ‘Do you mean—­Mr Tregear?’

‘Yes, Mr Tregear.’

‘I think I heard that he was shooting with Lord Silverbridge.’

‘I am glad of that,’ said Mary.

‘It will be pleasant for both of them.’

’I am very glad they should be together.  While I know that, I feel that we are not altogether separated.  I will never give it up, Mrs Finn,—­never, never.  It is not use taking me to China.’  In that Mrs Finn quite agreed with her.