On the threshold of her old home, then, Letty found her old self
awaiting her; she crossed it, and was once more just Letty, a Letty
wrapped in the garments of sorrow, and with a heaviness at the heart,
but far from such a miserable Letty as during the last of her former
life there. Little joy had been hers since the terrible night when she
fled from its closed doors; and now that she returned, she could take
up everything where she had left it, except the gladness. But peace is
better than gladness, and she was on the way to find that.

Mrs. Wardour, who, for all her severity, was not without a good-sized
heart, and whoso conscience had spoken to her in regard of Letty far
oftener than any torture would have made her allow, was touched with
compassion at sight of her worn and sad look; and, granting to herself
that the poor thing had been punished enough, even for her want of
respect to the house of Thornwick, broke down a little, though with
well-preserved dignity, and took the wandering ewe-lamb to her bosom.
Letty, loving and forgiving always, nestled in it for a moment, and in
her own room quietly wept a long time. When she came out, Mrs. Wardour
pleased herself with the fancy that her eyes were red with the tears of
repentance; but Letty never dreamed of repenting, for that would have
been to deny Tom, to cut off her married life, throw it from her, and
never more see Tom.

By degrees, rapid yet easy, she slid into all her old ways; took again
the charge of the dairy as if she had never left it; attended to the
linen; darned the stockings; and in everything but her pale, thin face,
and heavy, exhausted heart, was the young Letty again. She even went to
the harness-room to look to Cousin Godfrey's stirrups and bits; but
finding, morning after morning for a whole week, that they had not once
been neglected, dismissed the care-not without satisfaction.

Mrs. Wardour continued kind to her; but every now and then would allow
a tone as of remembered naughtiness to be sub-audible in speech or
request. Letty, even in her own heart, never resented it. She had been
so used to it in the old days, that it seemed only natural. And then
her aunt considered her health in the kindest way. Now that Letty had
known some of the troubles of marriage, she felt more sympathy with
her, did not look down upon her from quite such a height, and to Letty
this was strangely delightful. Oh, what a dry, hard, cold world this
would grow to,