Stafford, the
lord's son"--the simple dale folk as often called Sir Stephen "my lord"
as "sir"--"danced ever so many times with her, and the servants was
saying that he was making love to her, and that they shouldn't be
surprised to hear that Mr. Stafford was going to marry Miss Falconer."
Ida could not prevent the colour rising to her face, but she laughed
unforcedly, and with no misgiving; for she had looked into Stafford's
eyes and read his soul through them. He was hers, let all the women in
the world be beautiful and decked in silks and satins.
She ran upstairs to put on her habit, leaving Jessie rather
disappointed at the effect of her news, and she sang while she tied the
little scarlet sailor's knot, and presently came down the stairs with a
step as light as her heart. As she was mounting and talking to Jason
about the last lot of steers, Mr. Wordley came out of the house to get
his horse, and hurried to her, bare-headed, in the good old way.
"No, I can't stay," he said in answer to her invitation. "I have to be
back at the office; but I'll ride a little way with you, if I may. It
isn't often I get the chance of riding with the prettiest girl in the
county.
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