the
day overcame Mrs. Edmonstone so much that she was obliged to go out of
Amabel's sight, but as the words were read, Amy's face recovered once
more the serenity that had been swept away by the sight of the flowers.
Peace had returned, and when the calm every-day words of the service
were over, she held out her hand to Mr. Ross, and said, 'Thank you, that
was very nice. Now talk to me.'

It was a difficult request, but Mr. Ross understood her, and talked to
her as she sought, in a gentle, deep, high strain of hope and faith,
very calm and soothing, and with a fatherly kindness that was very
pleasant from him who had baptized her, taught her, and whom she had
last seen blessing her and her husband. It ended by her looking up to
him when it was time for him to go, and saying, 'Thank you. You will
come again when you have time, I hope. My love to dear Mary, I should
like to see her soon, but I knew you would do me more good than anybody,
and know better how it feels.'

Mr. Ross knew she meant that he must better understand her loss, because
he was a widower, and was greatly touched, though he only answered by a
blessing, a farewell, and a promise to come very soon to see her again.

Amabel was right, the peace which he had recalled, and the power of
resignation that had returned, had a better effect on her than all her
mother's precautions; she began to improve, and in a few days more was
able to leave her bed, and lie on the sofa in the dressing-room, though
she was still so weak and languid that this was as much as she could
attempt. Any exertion was to be carefully guarded against, and her tears
now flowed so easily, that she was obliged to keep a check on them lest
they might again overpower her. Mr. Ross came again and again, and she
was able to tell him much of the grounds for her great happiness in Guy,
hear how entirely he had understood him, and be assured that she had
done right, and not taken an undue responsibility on herself by the
argument she had used to summon Philip, that last evening. She had begun
to make herself uneasy about this; for she said she believed she was
thinking of nothing but Guy, and had acted on impulse; and she was
very glad Mr. Ross did not think it wrong, while Mr. Ross meanwhile
was thinking how fears and repentance mingle with the purest sweetest,
holiest deeds.

She was able now to take pleasure in seeing Mary Ross; she wrote to
Philip at Corfu, and sent for Markham to begin to