ared less about the matter, for she
had her own approaching marriage to think of, and on the whole it was
not unpleasant to her to be for ever set free from any duty toward her
sister-in-law.

Valentine, though he often amazed Laura by his fits of melancholy, never
forgot to be kind and considerate to her; he had long patience with her
little affectations, and the elaborate excuses she made about all sorts
of unimportant matters. She found herself, for the first time in her
life, with a man of whom she could exact attendance, and whom she could
keep generally occupied with her affairs. She took delighted advantage
of this state of things, insomuch that before she was finally escorted
to Liverpool and seen off, people in the neighbourhood, remarking on his
being constantly with her, and observing his only too evident
depression, thought he must have formed an attachment to her; it was
universally reported that young Mr. Melcombe was breaking his heart for
that silly Laura; and when, on his return, he seemed no longer to care
for society, the thing was considered to be proved.

It was the last week in October when he reached Wigfield, to be present
at his sister's wedding. All the woods were in brown and gold, and the
still dry October summer was not yet over. John's children were all well
again, and little Anastasia came to meet him in the garden, using a
small crutch, of which she was extremely proud, "It was such a pretty
one, and bound with pink leather!" Her face was still pinched and pale,
but the nurse who followed her about gave a very good account of her, it
was confidently expected that in two or three months she would walk as
well as ever. "A thing to be greatly wished," said the nurse, "for Mr.
Mortimer makes himself quite a slave to her, and Mrs. Walker spoils
her."

Valentine found all his family either excited or fully occupied, and yet
he was soon aware that a certain indefinable change in himself was only
the more conspicuous for his fitful attempts to conceal it.

As to whether he was ill, whether unhappy, or whether displeased, they
could not agree among themselves, only, as by one consent, they forbore
to question him; but while he vainly tried to be his old self, they
vainly tried to treat him in the old fashion.

He thought his brother seemed, with almost studied care, to avoid all
reference to Melcombe. There was, indeed, little that they could talk
about. One would not mention his estate, the