nizing, and scrambling, were
the order of the day. Boating too was a great delight, and had it not
been for an occasional fretting recollection that he could not go out
sailing without his mamma, and that most of his school fellows were
spending their holidays in a very different manner, he would have been
perfectly happy. Fortunately he had not sufficient acquaintance with the
boys in the neighbourhood for the contrast to be often brought before
him.

Henrietta did not do much to reconcile him to the anxious care
with which he was guarded. She was proud of his talents, of his
accomplishments, of his handsome features, and she would willingly have
been proud of his excellence in manly sports, but in lieu of this she
was proud of the spirit which made him long for them, and encouraged it
by her full and entire sympathy. The belief that the present restraints
must be diminished at Knight Sutton, was a moving spring with her, as
much as her own wish for the scenes round which imagination had thrown
such a brilliant halo. Of society they had hitherto seen little or
nothing; Mrs. Langford's health and spirits had never been equal to
visiting, nor was there much to tempt her in the changing inhabitants of
a watering-place. Now and then, perhaps, an old acquaintance or distant
connexion of some part of the family came for a month or six weeks, and
a few calls were exchanged, and it was one of these visits that led to
the following conversation.

"By the by, mamma," said Fred, "I meant to ask you what that foolish
woman meant about the St. Legers, and their not having thoroughly
approved of Aunt Geoffrey's marriage."

"About the most ill-placed thing she could have said, Freddy," replied
Mrs. Langford, "considering that I was always accused of having made the
match."

"Made the match! O tell us, mamma; tell us all about it. Did you
really?"

"Not consciously; Fred, and Frank St. Leger deserves as much of the
credit as I do."

"Who was he? a brother of Aunt Geoffrey's?"

"O yes, Fred," said Henrietta, "to be sure you knew that. You have heard
how mamma came home from India with General St. Leger and his little boy
and girl. But by the by, mamma, what became of their mother?"

"Lady Beatrice? She died in India just before we came home. Well, I used
to stay with them after we came back to England, and of course talked to
my friend--"

"Call her Beatrice, mamma, and make a story of it."

"I talked to her about my Knig