Julian's holiday-time, and he was at
home. Changed as the old lady had become by years and disappointment,
and the ennui of an aimless widowhood, little relieved by the unceasing
attendance of a confidante, yet Lady Vinsear's childless and withered
heart seemed to be touched to life again when she gazed on her brother's
beautiful and modest boy. Courteous without subservience, and attentive
without servility, Julian, by his graceful and unselfish demeanour, won
her complete affection, and she dropped to the family no ambiguous
hints, that, for Julian's sake, she should renew her intercourse with
them, and make him her heir. Circumstanced as he was, Mr Home could
not but rejoice in this determination, and the more so from his proud
consciousness that not even the vilest detractor could charge him with
having courted his rich sister's favour by open or secret arts. From
Julian he would have concealed Lady Vinsear's intention, but she had
herself made him tolerably aware of it, after a fit of violent spleen
against Miss Sprong, her confidante, who, seeing how the wind lay, had
tried to drop little malicious hints against the favourite nephew, until
the old lady had cut them short, by a peremptory order that Miss Sprong
should leave the room. That little rebuff the lady never forgot and
never forgave, and, under the guise of admiration, she nursed her enmity
against the unconscious Julian until due opportunity should have
occurred to give it vent.

Every now and then, Julian, when wearied with study, would be tempted to
think in his secret heart, "What does it matter my working so hard, when
I shall be master of Lonstead Abbey some day?" And then perhaps would
follow a rather inconsistent fit of idleness, till Mr Carden, or some
other master, applied the spur again.

"I can't make you out, Julian," said Lillyston; "sometimes you grind
away for a month like--like beans, and then you're as idle again for a
week as the dog that laid his head against a wall to bark."

"Well, shall I tell you, Hugh?" answered Julian, who had often felt that
it would be a relief to put his friend in possession of the secret. And
he told Lillyston that he was the acknowledged heir of his aunt's
property.

"Oh, well then," said Lillyston, "I don't see why I should work either,
seeing as how Lillyston Court will probably come to me some day. I say,
Julian, I vote we both try for lag next trials. It'd save lots of
grind."

All this was