er arrived for me
from Sir Percival Glyde's solicitor, acknowledging the receipt of my
copy of the anonymous letter and my accompanying statement of the case.
Miss Fairlie joined us in the afternoon, looking pale and depressed,
and altogether unlike herself. I had some talk with her, and ventured
on a delicate allusion to Sir Percival. She listened and said nothing.
All other subjects she pursued willingly, but this subject she allowed
to drop. I began to doubt whether she might not be repenting of her
engagement--just as young ladies often do, when repentance comes too
late.

On Monday Sir Percival Glyde arrived.

I found him to be a most prepossessing man, so far as manners and
appearance were concerned. He looked rather older than I had expected,
his head being bald over the forehead, and his face somewhat marked and
worn, but his movements were as active and his spirits as high as a
young man's. His meeting with Miss Halcombe was delightfully hearty
and unaffected, and his reception of me, upon my being presented to
him, was so easy and pleasant that we got on together like old friends.
Miss Fairlie was not with us when he arrived, but she entered the room
about ten minutes afterwards. Sir Percival rose and paid his
compliments with perfect grace. His evident concern on seeing the
change for the worse in the young lady's looks was expressed with a
mixture of tenderness and respect, with an unassuming delicacy of tone,
voice, and manner, which did equal credit to his good breeding and his
good sense. I was rather surprised, under these circumstances, to see
that Miss Fairlie continued to be constrained and uneasy in his
presence, and that she took the first opportunity of leaving the room
again. Sir Percival neither noticed the restraint in her reception of
him, nor her sudden withdrawal from our society. He had not obtruded
his attentions on her while she was present, and he did not embarrass
Miss Halcombe by any allusion to her departure when she was gone. His
tact and taste were never at fault on this or on any other occasion
while I was in his company at Limmeridge House.

As soon as Miss Fairlie had left the room he spared us all
embarrassment on the subject of the anonymous letter, by adverting to
it of his own accord. He had stopped in London on his way from
Hampshire, had seen his solicitor, had read the documents forwarded by
me, and had travelled on to Cumberland, anxious to satisfy our minds