They were standing on the rug before the fire now, and at Malcolm's mute answer Elizabeth shivered slightly and held out her hands to the blaze as though she were physically cold.

Malcolm leant for support against the mantel-piece, and watched her for a moment under his shading hand--if she had only seen that hungry, eloquent look! But Elizabeth's eyes were fixed on the fire.

Poor Malcolm! never had she looked more beautiful to him: the black velvet gown suited her to perfection, and the antique Roman necklace she wore just fitted the full white throat.

This was not the rustic owner of the white sun-bonnet, but a grand, imperial-looking Elizabeth.

Malcolm felt as though he were fast losing self-control: his forehead grew clammy, and though he tried to speak--to break the embarrassing silence--no words would come; but Elizabeth, lost in her own sad thoughts, was oblivious of his emotion.
"Dinah will be here directly," she observed presently; "she is engaged just now with a woman from the village, but she will not be long, I hope.