Louis strongly advised him at least to know his fate, and declared that for his part, he would never take any Mrs. Martha’s word, rather than that of the lady herself.  Speak out, and, of course, Montrose’s famous motto came in, and was highly appreciated by Tom, though he still shook his head ruefully, as he recollected what a lout he had been at his last meeting with Charlotte, and how little he could compare with such a fine gentleman as had been described, ’And she always had a taste for gentility.’

’Well, Tom, I would not wish to see a better gentleman any day, than you have stuff enough in you to make; and, if Charlotte be a girl worth having, she’ll value that more than French polish.  You’re getting polished, too, Tom, and will more as you get better and sounder, and that polish will be true and not French.’

Meantime Charlotte had been in twenty states of mind.  Had Tom striven at once to return to the former terms, the Lady of Eschalott might have treated it as mere natural homage, compared him with Delaford’s delicate flatteries, and disclaimed him.  She had been chilling and shy at the first meeting, expecting him to presume on his promotion, but when he was gone, came no more, except for necessary interviews with Miss Ponsonby, and then merely spoke civilly, and went away directly, her heart began to fail her.  Neglect mortified her; she was first affronted, sure she did not care, and resolved to show that she did not; but then the vexation became stronger, she wondered if he had heard of Delaford, was angry at her intercourse with the butler being deemed an offence, and finally arrived at a hearty longing for a return to old times.  Vanity or affection, one or the other, demanded Tom’s allegiance.

And Tom came at last.  He did not come by moonlight—­he did not come at all romantically; but as she was washing vegetables, he stood by the scullery door, and made no elegant circumlocutions.  Would she be his wife, some time or other? and he would try to be worthy of her.

Fitzjocelyn had judged her rightly!  Sound true love had force enough to dispel every illusion of sentimental flattery.  Charlotte burst into a flood of tears, and, sobbing behind her apron, confessed that she never liked nobody like Tom, but she was afraid he would think she had been false to him, for she did like Mr. Delaford’s talk, all about poetry and serenades; but she never would heed him no more, not if he went down on his knees to her.

Tom was a great deal more likely to perform that feat.

He stood his ground when Mrs. Beckett came in, and told her all about it, and the good old soul mingled her tears with Charlotte’s, wished them joy, and finished washing the greens.  Nevertheless Mrs. Frost thought the kitchen-clock was very slow.