"What, little one!" he said gaily, "in trouble? What is it? You don't think I've jilted you, do you?"

"Don't talk stuff, Charley!" she said gravely. "I'm very happy; but I feel like marble--just as if there were dark veins running all through me."

"Marble? veins?" said Charley in a puzzled tone.

"Yes; dark veins, like sorrowful thoughts; for though I'm very glad that you are going to be my own dear brother--and something like a brother too!--I can't help feeling sorry about my poor Miss Bedford."

Charley started from her as if he had been stung; but no one but Nelly noticed it. Five minutes after, Sir Philip and he were in the Brays'

carriage, and on their way home, for Mr Bray had insisted upon their having it in place of a cab.

There was no farther talk of going back to Blandfield Court till the Brays left town next week, and to all intents and purposes the Vinings lived in Harley-street. But Charley found time for a visit to Mr Whittrick, to see if there was any payment due.

"Happy to attend upon you, if you require my services again, Mr Vining," he said, as he pocketed a cheque; and then he bowed his client out.

It was that same morning that, returning to lunch in Harley-street, Charley found Laura seated frowningly over a note, which she made as if to conceal upon his entrance; but directly after, as if blushing for her weakness, she stood up, holding the letter in her hand.

"Am I to be jealous?" he said laughingly, as he saluted her.

"I was afraid it might hurt your feelings, Charley," she said, as her arms were resting on his shoulder. "Can you bear to hear its contents?

It is from Max."

"Yes," said Charley moodily, and with the veins in his forehead swelling.

"He asks me to try and mediate--to try and make you think less angrily of him."

"Where is he?" said Charley abruptly.

"I do not know," said Laura. "Somewhere in the west of England. The postmark is Plymouth."

"Laura," said Charley sternly, "I cannot forgive him. Max and I must never meet! Don't look so serious--I cannot help it. I am, I know, hard and unrelenting--But there, no tears! Why, you are trembling. I am not angry."

"No, no; I know you are not," she whispered, nestling closer to him.

"You must not be. I shall be so glad to get down to the old place again."

"And I as well," said Charley.

And, probably in deference to their wishes, both families started on the following day for their country seats.

Volume 3, Chapter V.

PREPARING THE RIVETS.

"_Con_-gratulate you, my dear Vining! do, indeed," said Hugh Lingon, coming up to Charley in the hunting-field, when he had been home about a fortnight.

"What about?" said Charley, who had attended every meet, and tried his best to break his neck as he rode straight, taking everything that came in his way.

"What about?" said Lingon. "Why, about your coming marriage, to be sure. Haven't seen you before, or I should have given you a word or two. Rather too bad of Laura Bray, though."

"What was?" said Charley very impatiently.

"Why, making such a pair of tongs of me, with which to fish for her hot roast chestnut--meaning you, of course, Charley," said Lingon, with a laugh.

"Don't be a fool!" said Charley gruffly.

"Not if I can help it," said Lingon good-humouredly. "But you know how I was made a fool of, and then pitched over at any time, when your sultanship thought proper to be attentive."

"Long time finding a fox this morning," said Charley impatiently, as he turned his horse along by the side of a spinney. But Hugh Lingon was not to be shaken off, and trotting up to his side, fat and good-tempered, he talked on.

"I should have expected that you'd have given up all this sort of thing now, old fellow," said Lingon; "but I suppose you are having your run out before the knot is tied. I say, though, how well Laura looks!"

"Does she?" said Charley absently; and it was very evident from his quiet abstracted manner, that he was thinking upon other matters.

"Does she! Ah, I think so. But mind you, I've an idea that Nelly will grow into a handsomer woman altogether. I like Nelly," he added simply.

"So do I," said Charley, starting from his reverie. "She's a lovable girl."

"I say, young man," exclaimed Lingon, "that won't do; you can't have them both."

"Pish!" exclaimed Charley, putting the spurs to his mare. "There, I'm going on. Good-morning, Lingon."

"But I'm going your way, Charley," cried the other, spurring up alongside. "Don't be in such a hurry, man! It isn't often one sees you now. I want to know when it's to be. Our girls are sure to ask me, for they're all red-hot about it."

"When what's to be?" said Charley, with a wondering gaze.

"O, come, I say, now, that's a good un!" laughed Hugh Lingon, till his fat face was full of creases and rolls, some of which threatened to close his little twinkling eyes. "Going to be married, and got it all settled, and not know the day! Ha, ha, ha! Charley Vining, that is a good one! I do like that!" And he gave his friend a hearty slap on the back. "Come, I say, tell us, old fellow!"

"This day month, I believe--there!" said Charley viciously; and again he essayed to leave his friend behind.

"By the way, Charley," said Hugh, continuing alongside, "I want you to do me a favour."

He spoke so earnestly, that the other drew rein and turned to him.

"What is it?" he said.

"Well, I hardly like to ask you, but just now I'm in a fix."

"Well, but what is it? How do you mean?" said Charley.

"Well, you see, I'm short of money, and I'm a good deal bothered; for I'd promised to pay my tailor, and now I can't do it."

"How much do you want?" said Charley quietly. "I've none here; but I'll draw you a cheque when I get home."

"O! I'm much obliged--I _am_, 'pon my word!" said Lingon. "Don't I wish, though, that I could draw cheques, and come that sort of thing!

I'm quite ashamed to ask you. But it isn't my fault; for you see I had the money, and was going to send it, when who should pop down but Max Bray, and ask me to lend it to him--five-and-twenty pounds, you know.

He wanted fifty; but of course that was out of my reach altogether. I lent him all I had, though; for he said that he should only want it for two days, when he'd be sure and send it back. Nelly's brother, too, you see, so that I couldn't well refuse him."

Hugh Lingon did not see the black angry look upon Charley's face, and he went on.

"He went to the governor after he left me, and got fifty pounds out of him; so I found out this morning when I went into the study to see if I could raise the wind myself, for I had an awful dunning letter from my tailor for breakfast, and there was the governor in no end of a rage-- put on that grand magisterial air of his, and begins to talk to me like he does to the clodhoppers who have been having a drunk and a fight.