ender and impulsive
creature, she loved her husband without criticism, exhaustively and
religiously, and the child not much otherwise. She watched the little
foundling as if she had been her own by nature, and Dorothy became a
great solace to her when her husband was absent on pleasure or business;
and when he came home he looked pleased to see how the two had won each
other's hearts. Sir Ashley would kiss his wife, and his wife would kiss
little Dorothy, and little Dorothy would kiss Sir Ashley, and after this
triangular burst of affection Lady Mottisfont would say, 'Dear me--I
forget she is not mine!'

'What does it matter?' her husband would reply. 'Providence is
fore-knowing. He has sent us this one because he is not intending to
send us one by any other channel.'

Their life was of the simplest. Since his travels the baronet had taken
to sporting and farming; while Philippa was a pattern of domesticity.
Their pleasures were all local. They retired early to rest, and rose
with the cart-horses and whistling waggoners. They knew the names of
every bird and tree not exceptionally uncommon, and could foretell the
weather almost as well as anxious farmers and old people with corns.

One day Sir Ashley Mottisfont received a letter, which he read, and
musingly laid down on the table without remark.

'What is it, dearest?' asked his wife, glancing at the sheet.

'Oh, it is from an old lawyer at Bath whom I used to know. He reminds me
of something I said to him four or five years ago--some little time
before we were married--about Dorothy.'

'What about her?'

'It was a casual remark I made to him, when I thought you might not take
kindly to her, that if he knew a lady who was anxious to adopt a child,
and could insure a good home to Dorothy, he was to let me know.'

'But that was when you had nobody to take care of her,' she said quickly.
'How absurd of him to write now! Does he know you are married? He must,
surely.'

'Oh yes!'

He handed her the letter. The solicitor stated that a widow-lady of
position, who did not at present wish her name to be disclosed, had
lately become a client of his while taking the waters, and had mentioned
to him that she would like a little girl to bring up as her own, if she
could be certain of finding one of good and pleasing disposition; and,
the better to insure this, she would not wish the child to be too young
for judging her qualities. He had remembered Sir Ashley