t was Mr. Kenyon who first told me about it, and made me
understand how blind I was at first to my father's really _great_
qualities. I know he is not like grandpapa--he does sometimes seem
a little rough when compared to grandpapa; but then you always said
I must not expect every man I met in the world to have grandpapa's
courtly manners. And it must have been very lonely for you if he
went out at such funny hours as he does now, and did not breakfast
or lunch with you! But I am told that all 'journalists keep these
hours,' and that it is very provincial of me not to know it! It is
a very different house, and different life, from any that I ever
saw before; but I am getting accustomed to it now, especially since
Mr. Kenyon has talked to me.

"Dearest mother, don't think that I love you one whit the less
because I am away from you, and am learning to love other people a
little too. Nobody could be to me what you are, my own dear
mother.--Your child,

"LESLEY."

So Lesley's girlish, emotional, indiscreet letter went upon its way to
Lady Alice, who was just then in Eaton Square, and Lesley never dreamt
of the tears that it brought to her mother's eyes.

The letter was a shock to Lady Alice in more ways than one. First, it
showed her that on one point at least she _had_ been mistaken--and it
was a point that had long been a very sore one to her. Caspar had not
meant the correspondence between mother and daughter to cease--so he
said now; but she was certain that he had spoken very harshly about it
when the arrangement was first made. He had even affected to doubt
whether she had heart enough to care whether she heard from her child or
not. Well, possibly he had altered his views since those days. Lesley
said that he _must_ be different! Poor Lesley! thought Lady Alice, how
very little she knew! She seemed to have been as much fascinated by her
father as Lady Alice had been, in days long past, by Caspar Brooke as a
lover; but Lady Alice reflected that _she_ had never thought of Caspar
as good or gentle or "great" in any way. She thought of him chiefly in
his relation to herself, and in that relation he had not been
satisfactory. Yes, she remembered well enough the sarcastic remarks, the
odd hours, the discomfort of her solitary meals. Lesley could see all
these points, and yet discover good in the man, and not be disgusted?
Lady Alice could