Fanny, who, when she went back to her husband, was left under charge of
her mother, Mrs Leslie.

Great as was Mrs Vallery's grief at parting from her child, she well
knew, from her own experience, with what wise and loving care she would
be brought up.

Captain Vallery was of a French Protestant family, but having been
partly educated in England, and having English relations, he had entered
the British army. He was considered an honourable and brave officer,
and was a very kind husband, but Mrs Vallery discovered that he had
certain peculiar notions which were not likely to make him bring up his
children as she would desire. One of his notions was, that boys
especially, in order to develop their character, as he said, should
always be allowed to have their own way.

"But, my dear husband," she pleaded, "suppose that way should prove to
be a bad way, what then will be the consequence?"

"Oh, but our little Norman is a perfect cherub, surely he can have
nothing bad about him, and I must insist that no one curbs his fine and
noble temper, lest his young spirit should be broken and irretrievably
ruined," answered Captain Vallery. "I say, let the boy have his own
way, and you will see what a fine fellow he will become."

Mrs Vallery sighed--she knew that it would be useless to contend with
her husband, though she feared, should his plan be persevered in, it
would entail many a severe trial on her boy in future years.

Of this Mrs Leslie had some suspicions, though Fanny, who had pictured
her little brother as all she could wish him to be, looked forward with
unmitigated pleasure to having him as her companion.

With eager interest she assisted Susan, the housemaid, in preparing the
rooms for the expected guests; for she was a notable little woman, and
she had been encouraged by her grandmamma to busy herself in household
matters. She with much taste arranged the bouquets in the vases on her
mamma's dressing-table, and then she went into the little room next her
own, in which Norman was to sleep, and placed some flowers in that also,
as well as three or four of her prettiest picture-books, which she had
carefully preserved, thinking that they might amuse him. Gently, too,
she smoothed down his pillow, and, after everything was in order, went
back delighted to make her report to granny.

How her heart beat when a carriage drove up to the door, with a
gentleman and lady in it, whom she knew must be her papa and m