Mrs. Dornham came hurrying in.
"Look!" said Lord Mountdean. "I have been as careful as I could, but
that is your work."
Margaret Dornham knelt by the side of the senseless girl.
"I would give my life to undo my past folly," she said. "Oh, my lord,
can you ever forgive me?"
He saw the passionate love that she had for her foster-child; he saw
that it was a mother's love, tender, true, devoted and self-sacrificing,
though mistaken. He could not be angry, for he saw that her sorrow even
exceeded his own.
To his infinite joy, Madaline presently opened her dark eyes and looked
up at him. She stretched out her hands to him.
"My father," she said--"you are really my father?"
He kissed her face.
"Madaline," he replied, "my heart is too full for words. I have spent
seventeen years in looking for you, and have found you at last. My dear
child, we have seventeen years of love and happiness to make up."
"It seems like an exquisite dream," she said. "Can it be true?"
He saw her lovely face grow crimson, and bending her fair, shapely head,
she whispered:
"Papa, does Lord Arleigh know?"
"Lord Arleigh!" he repeated.
Pages:
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414