"
So it was arranged; and there were few happier women than Margaret
Dornham when she heard the news.
"I thought," she sobbed, in a broken voice, "that I should never be
forgiven; and now I find that I am to be always near to the child for
whose love I would have sacrificed the world."
Lord Mountdean insisted on the fullest publicity being given to
Madaline's abduction.
"There is one thing," he said, "I cannot understand--and that is how you
came to misunderstand each other. Why did Madaline believe that you knew
all about her story when you knew nothing of it? That secret, I suppose,
you will keep to yourselves?"
"Yes," replied Lord Arleigh. "The truth is, we were both cruelly
deceived--it matters little by whom and how.'"
"That part of the story, then, will never be understood," said Lord
Mountdean. "The rest must be made public, no matter at what cost to our
feelings--there must be no privacy, no shadow over my daughter's name.
You give me your full consent, Norman?"
"Certainly; I think your proposal is very wise," Lord Arleigh replied.
"Another thing, Norman--I do not wish my daughter to go home to
Beechgrove until her story has been made known.
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