e feared, might already suffer from the
exertions and rough weather of the morning. This was a most anxious
hour, and yet the absence of her mother was in some degree a relief to
Venetia; it at least freed her from the perpetual effort of assumed
composure. While her mother remained, Venetia had affected to read,
though her eye wandered listlessly over the page, or to draw, though
the pencil trembled in her hand; anything which might guard her from
conveying to her mother that she shared the apprehensions which had
already darkened her mother's mind. But now that Lady Annabel was
gone, Venetia, muffling herself up in her shawl, threw herself on a
sofa, and there she remained without a thought, her mind a chaos of
terrible images.

Her mother returned, and with a radiant countenance, Venetia sprang
from the sofa. 'There is good news; O mother! have they returned?'

'They are not at Spezzia,' said Lady Annabel, throwing herself into a
chair panting for breath; 'but there is good news. You see I was right
to go, Venetia. These stupid people we send only ask questions, and
take the first answer. I have seen a fisherman, and he says he heard
that two persons, Englishmen he believes, have put into Lerici in an
open boat.'

'God be praised!' said Venetia. 'O mother, I can now confess to you
the terror I have all along felt.'

'My own heart assures me of it, my child,' said Lady Annabel weeping;
and they mingled their tears together, but tears not of sorrow.

'Poor George!' said Lady Annabel, 'he will have a terrible journey to
Sarzana, and be feeling so much for us! Perhaps he may meet them.'

'I feel assured he will,' said Venetia; 'and perhaps ere long they
will all three be here again. Joy! joy!'

'They must never go in that boat again,' said Lady Annabel.

'Oh! they never will, dearest mother, if you ask them not,' said
Venetia.

'We will send to Lerici,' said Lady Annabel.

'Instantly,' said Venetia; 'but I dare say they already sent us a
messenger.'

'No!' said Lady Annabel; 'men treat the danger that is past very
lightly. We shall not hear from them except in person.'

Time now flew more lightly. They were both easy in their minds. The
messenger was despatched to Lerici; but even Lerici was a considerable
distance, and hours must elapse before his return. Still there was the
hope of seeing them, or hearing from them in the interval.

'I must go out, dear mother,' said Venetia. 'Let us both go out. It
is