The morning of the next day was hopelessly wet, and Robert Vavasour's courage rose—with his anxiety to see Amy,—to fever heat; and, determined to see her at all hazards, he bent his steps towards the cottage.
Sarah, tired of the dulness within doors, was gazing idly from the window, little thinking that her curiosity concerning the stranger she had seen only the day before was so soon to be gratified. But there he was coming along the road, and very eagerly the little girl watched him.
"Oh! sister Amy," cried she, "here's the gentleman I saw yesterday, do come and look at him before he goes out of sight; he'll turn down the elm tree walk in another moment."
But before Amy could have reached the window, had she been so inclined, he had opened the little gate, and was coming up the gravel walk.
Sarah shrank away from the window, and clapped her hands with delight. "Why he's coming here, only think of that, Mamma. Oh! I guess it must be the 'good unknown' himself."
In another moment all doubt was at an end, and Robert Vavasour in the little sitting-room, welcomed and thanked by Mrs. Neville at least, and Sarah also, if he might judge by her glistening eyes, although she was too shy to say a word, while Amy, if she did not say she was glad to see him, did not rebuke him for coming, nor appear to look on his visit as an intrusion; and soon he was quite at home with them all, and when Amy, who had been out to Hannah, to try and make some addition to their homely dinner, returned, she was surprised to see on what friendly terms he was.
"I am afraid, dear mamma," she said, "you are exerting yourself too much. You are so unaccustomed to see a stranger."
"Scarcely a stranger, Amy. Mr. Vavasour claims our friendship for his kindness; and besides, he tells me he has known you for some time."
"Some two months, is it not?" replied Amy.
"Hardly so long, I think, Miss Neville. It seems but yesterday since I first saw you."
"Are you only here for the day?" asked Amy.
"I am here for a week," he replied; "some good lady in the village has allowed me to take up my abode with her for that time, or it may be longer, as any one would be tempted to remain in the clean pretty room she showed me."
"It must be Mrs. Turner, Mamma; her cottage is so very nice."
"If it is," replied Mrs. Neville, "you will have no cause to complain, Mr. Vavasour; we stayed with her for a day or two on our first arrival, and were much pleased with her attention, and the cleanliness of the house."
"Is this place often visited by strangers? It must in summer be a lovely spot. It is prettier than Brampton, Miss Neville."
"Prettier, but not so grand; and the views are not so extensive."
"You prefer Brampton?"
"Oh, no! Ashleigh is my home, and then I like it for its very quietness."
"It will no longer be quiet," replied Mrs. Neville. "Stray visitors have often reached it since I have been here; and now the easy access to it by rail will, of necessity, bring more, and Ashleigh will, perhaps, become immortalized by the lovers of pic-nics. But here is Hannah to announce dinner. You must excuse my joining you, Mr. Vavasour, as I am unable to leave the sofa."
After dinner the weather changed; the heavy clouds cleared away, and a faint gleam of sunshine shone out.
Amy proposed a walk, as she thought her mother would be glad of a little rest and quiet after her exertion, so with her sister she went with Robert Vavasour down into the village.
So dreary as the lane looked now, with its tall leafless trees! But their visitor was charmed with everything, and would not allow its desolation. They inspected his new abode, which turned out to be Mrs. Turner's; then through the village, and home by road, and found Mrs. Elrington had come to spend the evening—and what a pleasant one it was! Even Amy allowed that, although she did not feel quite at rest within herself, or satisfied at Robert Vavasour's having come to Ashleigh; still she found herself later on in the evening laughing and chatting, in something of the old spirit, at seeing her mother take an interest in the conversation, and not nearly so weary and tired as she usually was.
"You are so very good," said Amy, as she went out to open the cottage door for Robert, as he went away.
"Good! Miss Neville. How? In what way?"
"In being content with our dull life here."
"It is anything but dull to me. My life lately has been a simply existing one—the slow passing of each day, or counting the hours for the night to arrive, and bring a short respite from the monotony of a dreary life. Being here is—is heaven to me! in comparison to my late existence at Somerton Park."
There was no mistaking the impassioned tone in which this was said. Amy hastened to change the subject.
"I am sure your visit has given Mamma pleasure."
"Mrs. Neville seems a great invalid, I do not wonder at your anxiety for her while absent." As a stranger he had remarked the exhaustion and weariness, although to Amy her mother had seemed so much better.
"Do you think she looks so very ill?" she asked, anxiously.
"I think there is great weakness," he replied, evading a direct answer. "Have you a clever medical attendant here?"
"Yes, I think so. Dr. Sellon, is at least, very kind and attentive, no one could be more so; he says Mamma merely wants rousing, and we must not allow this apathy and weariness to increase, but strive to divert her mind, even as it was this evening, and all through your kindness."
"Ashleigh is a lovely spot, but rather too quiet for an invalid whose mind requires rousing, and whose vital energies seem so prostrated. I should suggest a total change of scene. A new and novel life, in fact, in a place perfectly strange to her, would, I should think, conduce more towards her recovery than all the doctors and medicine in the world."
"Dr. Sellon has never said so; never even hinted at such a thing," replied Amy, thoughtfully. Alas! how could it be managed, even with the sacrifice of all her salary.
"Have you had any further advice?" he asked.
"No. I wrote the other day to Dr. Ashley, our old doctor, who attended us all for so many years. I thought perhaps he might be coming this way and would call; but, although he wrote me a very kind reply, he does not even hint at such a stray chance happening."
"Does he offer any opinion or advice on Mrs. Neville's case?"
"Yes. You can read it if you like," and she took it from her pocket and gave it to him; "only do not mention anything about it to Mamma, she might not like my having written; or it might make her nervous in supposing herself worse than she is. It is not exactly a secret," she added, blushing slightly, "as Mrs. Elrington knows of it, and approved of my letter."
"Do not wrong me by supposing I should think so, Miss Neville. I will take it home, and read it at my leisure, if you will allow me. Good night."
The door closed, and he was gone before Amy could reply; but as she turned to re-enter the sitting-room, she sighed and murmured,
"There is a fate in some things. Is there in my life?"
CHAPTER II.
FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE
"My life went darkling like the earth, nor knew it shone a star, To that dear Heaven on which it hung in worship from afar. O, many bared their beauty, like brave flowers to the bee; He might have ranged through sunny fields, but nestled down to me; And daintier dames would proudly have smiled him to their side, But with a lowly majesty he sought me for his Bride; And grandly gave his love to me, the dearest thing on Earth, Like one who