it was supposed that they had left the holy
city before the end of May: and now, at the end of August, when her
presence in England was so necessary, Adela had no more than a faint
belief that her aunt was at the baths of Lucca. In the meantime
it was absolutely necessary that she should somewhere find a
resting-place for herself.

Both Caroline Waddington and Miss Baker wrote to her at once.
Unfortunately they were at Hadley; but if Adela would come to them,
they would return to Littlebath. They, or at any rate, one of them
would do so. There was much that was really generous in this offer,
as will be seen when we come in the next page or two to narrate
what had lately occurred at Hadley. But Adela already knew what had
occurred; and much as she then longed for a home, she knew that she
could not allow either of them to go to Littlebath.

Immediately that Mr. Gauntlet's death was known at Hurst Staple--and
it was known there two hours after Adela knew it herself--Mrs.
Wilkinson went over to bring her to the vicarage. The reader will
know that there were reasons why Adela should be most unwilling to
choose that house as her temporary residence. She was most unwilling;
and for a day or two, much to Mrs. Wilkinson's surprise, she refused
to leave West Putford. But it was necessary that she should leave it.
She could not remain alone in the house on the day that her father's
body was carried to his grave; and so at last she submitted, and
allowed herself to be taken over to Hurst Staple.

"It is provoking, dear," said Mrs. Wilkinson to her, "and I am
sure you will think it very uncivil, but Arthur went off to Oxford
yesterday. And it was uncivil. I am sure he needs not have gone at
this very moment."

Then Adela felt very grateful to her neighbour, and acknowledged in
her heart that he had been kind to her.

"But he must be back on Saturday," continued the widow, "for he could
get no clergyman to take his duty. Indeed, he has to take the evening
service at West Putford as well."

On the day following this, George Bertram arrived at the vicarage.

His first evening in the house was not very bright. Mrs. Wilkinson
had never been a bright woman. She had certain motherly good
qualities, which had been exerted in George's favour in his earliest
years; and on this account she was still able to speak to him in a
motherly way. She could talk to him about his breakfasts and dinners,
and ask after his buttons and linen, and