e the drive was over. The
next day he was to send a horse for Arthur to ride to Lassonthwayte
to see his whole establishment; and Violet found she might dismiss her
fears of want of amusement for her husband.

He had sold off all his own horses, and had not ridden since his
illness, and the thought seemed to excite him like a boy. His eyes
sparkled at the sight of the noble hunter sent for him; and Violet
had seldom felt happier than as she stood with the children on the
grass-plat, hearing her sisters say how well he looked on horseback, as
he turned back to wave her an adieu, with so lover-like a gesture, and
so youthful an air, that it seemed to bring back the earliest days of
their marriage.

This quiet day, only diversified by a call from Lord St. Erme and Lady
Lucy, and by accompanying Mrs. Moss to make some visits to old friends
in the town, brought Violet to a fuller comprehension of her own family.

Her mother was what she herself might have become but for John. She
was an excellent person, very sensible, and completely a lady; but her
spirit had been broken by a caustic, sharp-tempered, neglectful husband,
and she had dragged through the world bending under her trials, not
rising above them. Her eldest daughter had been sent to a fashionable
school, and had ever since domineered over the whole family, while the
mother sank into a sort of bonne to the little ones, and a slave to her
husband. There was much love for her among her fine handsome girls, but
little honour for the patient devotion and the unfailing good sense that
judged aright, but could not act.

Annette, her chief comfort, tried to bring up her pupil Octavia to the
same esteem for her; but family example was stronger than precept, and
Annette had no weight; while even Mr. Hunt's determination that Olivia
should show due regard to her mother, was looked on as one of his
rusticities. Poor Mrs. Moss was so unused to be treated as a person of
importance, that she could hardly understand the attention paid her,
not only by Violet, but by the Colonel; while the two young sisters, who
regarded Violet and her husband as the first of human beings, began to
discover that 'O, it is only mamma!' was not the most appropriate way of
speaking of her; and that when they let her go on errands, and wait on
every one, Violet usually took the office on herself.

So busy was Mrs. Moss, that Violet had very few minutes of conversation
with her, but she saw more of