“I’ll leave you with her,” said Caroline, rushing off in haste, to let Esther utter her own story as best she might, poor child!  Allen was fortunately in his room, and his mother sprang down to him to warn him to telegraph to Cecil that Colonel Brownlow was in Collingwood Street; the fates being evidently determined to spare her nothing.

Allen’s feelings were far less keen as to Bobus than were Jock’s, and he liked the connection; so he let himself be infected with the excitement, and roused himself not only to telegraph, but go himself to Cecil’s quarters to make sure of him.  It was well that he did so, for just as he got into Oxford Street, he beheld the well-known bay fortunately caught in a block of omnibuses and carts round a tumble-down cab-horse, and some gas-fitting.  Such was the impatience of the driver of the hansom, that Allen absolutely had to rush desperately across the noses of half-a-dozen horses, making wild gestures, before he was seen and taken up by Cecil’s side.

“The most wonderful thing of all,” said Cecil afterwards, “was to see Allen going on like that!”

In consequence of his speed, Colonel and Mrs. Brownlow had hardly arrived at Esther’s faltered story, and come to a perception which way her heart lay, when she started and cried, “Oh, that’s his hansom!” for she perfectly well knew the wheels.

So did her aunt and Babie, who had taken refuge in the studio, but came out at Allen’s call to hear his adventures, and thenceforth had to remain easily accessible, Babie to take charge of Lina, who was much aggrieved at her banishment, and Mother Carey to be the recipient of all kinds of effusions from the different persons concerned.  There was the mother:  “Such a nice young man!  So superior!  Everything we could have wished!  And so much attached!  Speaks so nicely!  You are sure there will be no trouble with his mother?”

“I see no danger of it.  I am sure she must love dear little Esther, and that she would like to see Cecil married.”

“Well, you know her! but you know she might look much higher for him, though the Brownlows are a good old family.  Oh, my dear Caroline, I shall never forget what you have done for us all.”

Her Serenity in a flutter was an amusing sight.  She was so full of exultation, and yet had too much propriety to utter the main point of her hopes, fears, doubts, and gratitude; and she durst not so much as hazard an inquiry after poor Lord Fordham, lest she should be suspected of the thought that came uppermost.

However, the Colonel, with whom that possibility was a very secondary matter, could speak out:  “I like the lad; he is a good, simple, honest fellow, well-principled, and all one could wish.  I don’t mind trusting little Essie with him, and he says his brother is sure to give him quite enough to marry upon, so they’ll do very well, even, if—- How about that affair which was hinted of at Belforest, Caroline?  Will it ever come off?”