‘Well then, I will ask you,’ Totty exclaimed of a sudden.  ’And mind, I shall know if you’re honest or not.  Suppose both Thyrza Trent and me was in this room, and you had your choice between us, which would it be?’

Ackroyd flushed, then looked seriously offended.

‘Won’t you answer?’

‘I don’t like to joke about such things.’

’And I don’t either, that’s the truth; that’s why such a thing came into my head.  You needn’t answer; I’d rather you didn’t.  Of course I know what you’d have to say.’

’You are talking nonsense.  There couldn’t be a choice, because I’ve made my choice.  Will you marry me or not?’

‘Yes, I will.  Any day you like.’

‘Yes, and afterwards keep asking me questions like this.’

’It wasn’t right, I know.  But you’re wrong when you say I should ever speak of it again.’

’I don’t know what to think, Totty.  It looks very much as if you didn’t want to have me.  Now look, here’s a question for you.  Suppose I’d never asked you before to-night, and now I came and asked you to marry me, what would you say?  Now, honest.’

‘You’ve not answered me.’

‘I have.’

He spoke it significantly, and she understood him.

‘Now, what would you say, Totty?’

’I should say, that I couldn’t say neither yes nor no for certain, and I wanted to wait.’

’You’re an honest girl.  Shake hands, and let us wait another six months.’

Totty reddened, and inwardly reproached herself with complete meanness.  But she was glad—­and Luke Ackroyd was glad.

CHAPTER XXXIII

THE HEART AND ITS SECRET

Thyrza was not to be a boarder with the Emersons, nor did Mrs. Ormonde request them to make a friend of her.  Nothing more was proposed than that she should rent from them their spare room, which was tolerably spacious and could be used both as bed-chamber and parlour.  Her meals were to be supplied to her by the landlady of the house.  The only stipulation with the Emersons was that she should receive her singing-lessons in their sitting-room, where there was a piano.

Thyrza herself specially desired of Mrs. Ormonde that she might live as much alone as possible.  She declared that it would be no hardship whatever to her to be without companionship.  Her day’s occupation would be chiefly sewing, for Mrs. Ormonde had made arrangements that she should have regular employment for her needle from a certain charitable ‘Home’ at Hampstead.  For this work she received payment, which—­Mrs. Ormonde made it appear—­would suffice to discharge her obligations to the Emersons and her landlady.  Moreover, two days of the week she was to spend at the said Home, where certain, not too exacting, duties were assigned to her.