t his next letter was in a vein
of melancholy humor from beginning to end. He was going back, he said,
to his dismal chambers, his law-books and his scribbling, and she was to
send him a very bright letter indeed to cheer him in his solitude. How
Bessie wished she could have flown herself to cheer him! And now, too,
she half regretted her poverty under her grandfather's will, that
deferred all hope of his rescue from London smoke and toil till he had
made the means of rescue for himself. But she gave him the pleasure of
knowing what she would do if she could.

Thus the summer months lapsed away. There was no hiatus in their
correspondence again, but Harry told her that he had a constant fever on
him and was longing for home and rest. Once he wrote from Richmond,
whither he had gone with Christie, "The best fellow in the
universe--love him, dear Bessie, for my sake"--and once he spoke of
going to Italy for the winter, and of newspaper letters that were to pay
the shot. He was sad, humorous, tender by turns, but Bessie missed
something. There were allusions to the vanity of man's life and joy, now
and then there was a word of philosophy for future consolation, but of
present hope there was nothing. Her eyes used to grow dim over these
letters: she understood that Harry was giving in, that he found his life
too hard for him, and that he was trying to prepare her and himself for
this great disappointment.

When Parliament rose Mr. Cecil Burleigh came down to Norminster and paid
a visit to Abbotsmead. He was the bearer of an invitation to Brentwood
and his sister's wedding, but Miss Fairfax was not able to accept it.
She had just accepted an invitation to Fairfield.

CHAPTER XLVI.

_TENDER AND TRUE._

Lady Latimer was in possession of all the facts and circumstances of her
guest's position when she arrived at Fairfield. Her grandfather's will
was notorious, and my lady did not entirely disapprove of it, as
Bessie's humbler friends did, for she still cherished expectations in
Mr. Cecil Burleigh's interest, and was not aware how far he was now from
entertaining any on his own account. Though she had convinced herself
that there was an unavowed engagement between Mr. Harry Musgrave and
Miss Fairfax, she was resolved to treat it and speak of it as a very
slight thing indeed, and one that must be set aside without weak
tenderness. Having such clear and decided views on the affair, she was
not afraid to state them ev