"Why, Uncle Pat," cried Maureen. "Isn't it just perfectly glorious. How I have my chance. I can fold my love round those poor girls. They shall get inside my heart of hearts. Oh, Uncle Pat, this is indeed a sign that God has forgiven me. Uncle Pat, darling, I am more than glad to go. How could I do otherwise? Having _hated_--oh, _how_ I hated--do I not now equally love? Write to that lady at once, Uncle Pat, to say I'm coming, and three months will pass swiftly, and who knows but I may bring them back to you, changed and altered in all respects."
"Maureen, I haven't a word to say. Of course you must go, dearest. This is the will of God."
"Shall I go to-morrow?" asked Maureen. "We might send a wire to-night."
"Yes, Uncle Pat; for they want me even more than you do; and, what's more, you are not to come with me."
"I must. You are not to take that long journey alone."
"Dom will take me. Dom is a splendid traveller, but now there is a great deal to do. May I find Dom? I want to speak to him."
Dominic, who was lingering restlessly about, not far from the bed of periwinkles, was quickly by Maureen's side.
"Yes, and of course I'm going, Dom, but he, he must not travel any more. He's just played out. I want you to take me to that school, Dom, dear old boy; but first I want to write a note to 'dear Colonel,' and we can send it by one of the grooms. He must wait for an answer. Then I wish to send a wire to-night to Mrs. Jane Faithful, to tell her I am going."
"You are in a great hurry to leave us, Maureen."
The girl looked at her cousin rather sadly.
"After all, even _you_ don't quite understand," she said. "How can I leave _them_ in misery a day longer if I can help it."
"Don't say the word--don't--don't. Only I will tell you now that by the exceeding greatness of my _hatred_ so also is the depth and passion of my love."
"You are like no one else, Maureen," said Dominic.
He went away soberly and gravely. He had not ventured to tell Maureen, in her present mood, that he was obliged on account of this arrangement to give up Rugby for good, that those glorious years of schoolboy life in one of the greatest public schools were to be denied him. He knew well, only too well, that it was impossible for his father to be left alone. Well, it could not be helped.