e wave of relief and thankfulness that swept over the country, when
the release of the imprisoned officers became known, restored not a
little of Lady Mary's natural courage and spirits. She became more
hopeful about her son, and more interested daily in the beautifying
and restoration of his house.

She said little in her letters to Peter of the work at Barracombe, for
John advised her that the boy would probably hardly understand the
necessity for it, and she herself was doubtful of Peter's approval
even if he had understood. She had too much intelligence to be
doubtful of John's wisdom, or of Mr. Crawley's zeal for his interest.

The letters she received were few and scanty, for Peter was but a poor
correspondent, and he made little comment on the explanatory letter
regarding his father's will which John and Mr. Crawley thought proper
to send him. The solicitor was justly indignant at Sir Peter's neglect
to reply to this carefully thought-out and faultlessly indited
epistle.

"He is just a chip of the old block," said Mr. Crawley.

But his mother divined that Peter was partly offended at his own
utter exclusion from any share of responsibility, and partly too much
occupied to give much attention to any matter outside his soldiering.
She said to herself that he was really too young to be troubled
with business; and she began to believe, as the work at Barracombe
advanced, that the results of so much planning and forethought must
please him, after all. The consolation of working in his interests was
delightful to her. Her days were filling almost miraculously, as it
seemed to her, with new occupations, fresh hopes, and happier ideas,
than the idle dreaming which was all that had hitherto been permitted
to her. John desired her help, or her suggestions, at every turn, and
constantly consulted her taste. Her artistic instinct for decoration
was hardly less strong than his own, though infinitely less
cultivated. He sent her the most engrossing and delightful books to
repair the omission, and he brought her plans and drawings, which he
begged her to copy for him. The days which had hung so heavily on her
hands were scarcely long enough.

The careful restoration of the banqueting-hall necessitated new
curtains and chair-covers. Lady Mary looked doubtfully at John when
this matter had been decided, and then at the upholstery of the
drawing-rooms facing the south terrace.

The faded magenta silk, tarnished gilded mirro