bright and cheerful than she had been for some time past.
It seemed as if the lengthening days of January were bringing renewed
comfort with them, when Charles, who ever since October had been
confined to bed, was able to wear the Chinese dressing-gown, be lifted
to a couch, and wheeled into the dressing-room, still prostrate, but
much enjoying the change of scene, which he called coming into the
world.

These were the events at quiet Hollywell, while Redclyffe was still
engrossed with the shipwreck, which seemed to have come on purpose to
enliven and occupy this solitary winter. It perplexed the Ashfords
about their baronet more than ever. Mr. Ashford said that no one whose
conscience was not clear could have confronted danger as he had done;
and yet the certainty that he was under a cloud, and the sadness, so
inconsistent with his age and temperament still puzzled them. Mrs.
Ashford thought she had made a discovery. The second day after the
wreck, the whole crew, except the little cabin-boy, were going to set
off to the nearest sea-port; and the evening preceding their departure,
they were to meet their rescuers, the fishermen, at a supper in the
great servants' hall at the park. Edward and Robert were in great glory,
bringing in huge branches of evergreens to embellish the clean, cold
place; and Mr. and Mrs. Ashford and Grace were to come to see the
entertainment, after having some coffee in the library.

Guy prepared it for his company by tumbling his books headlong from
the sofa to a more remote ottoman, sticking a bit of holly on the
mantel-shelf, putting out his beloved old friend, Strutt's 'Sports and
Pastimes,' to amuse Grace, and making up an immense fire; and then,
looking round, thought the room was uncommonly comfortable; but the
first thing that struck Mrs. Ashford, when, with face beaming welcome,
he ushered her in from the great hall, was how forlorn rooms looked that
had not a woman to inhabit them.

The supper went off with great eclat. Arnaud at the head of the table
carved with foreign courtesies, contrasted with the downright bluff way
of the sailors. As soon as Sir Guy brought Mrs. Ashford to look in on
them, old James Robinson proposed his health, with hopes he would soon
come and live among them for good, and Jonas Ledbury added another
wish, that 'Lady Morville' might soon be there too. At these words, an
expression of pain came upon Guy's face; his lips were rigidly pressed
together; he turn