Lady Hester; Or, Ursula's Narrative

for poor Hester had only revived to fall into a most frightful state of delir

in the house, and we not daring to send for any help fr

yone could be so wicked oppressed him almost as much as the grief. The remnants of the opiate hung upo

asures, so that had he not made the mistake between the two boys, he would s

that would not have been used merely for ducks, and besides, the other shooters it attracted would be likely to make detection less eas

t to bag the swan-if he followed the young lord's party and fired when they did, he would be sure to bring some

en attracted by the cry, had entirely deceived us; and but for Hester's accusation, Brand'

istening, watching servants never heard him, collected all the valuables he could easily

his wife, whose evidence was inadmissible, the malice was not directed against his victim, but against Trevorsham. We could not but feel it a relief day by day, that nothing was heard of him; for who could tell what

, except that he walked over to Spinney Lawn, and brought home Trevor's dog, to

rst not leave us alone to the watch. It was enough to break one's heart to stand by the window and hear her wandering on about her Trevor coming to his place, and not being kept from his posit

ear Trevor was more a guide to him dead than living. Trevor's chief Eton friend, young Maitland, a good, high-principled, clever boy, a little older, who had valued him for what he was, while passing Alured by as a foolish, idle little swell, took pity upon him in the grief and dejection of his loss-did f

, leaving such oppression of breath that permanent injury to the lungs was expected, and therefore it was all the sadder to see the

ng or drinking as she was bidden, but not making any manifestation of preference or dislik

but a "yes," "no," or a mechanical "thank you." Jaquetta tried to caress her, by force of nursing and pity. Jaqu

r twice, and tried to send away Mrs. Rowe; and at last, when she found it was never permitted, she broke o

ot to think so, and told her that her having been rescued was a sign that Heaven would have her repent and come back, but she laug

thought I did not do so obviously, but Hester saw or guessed, stamp

ent our doing that, my p

hat you would do if you had

ered at this apparent a

th this ridiculous burthensome care and attention, all out of

that we loved her and forgave her, it might help her to believe that her Father above did. I had never

she said, "I

almost a wild animal's longing for solitude; for she made a solemn

ring; for she was still very weak, and we had not a be

liking him to come home to a house of illness that would renew his sorrow, and advising him to accept some invitations from his schoolfellows; but he wrote tha

etta, so as to make room-feeling very happy over the best school re

Maitland's in London, and then he

ul it was to see the tall hat and wide white collar, as he stood up in the open fly, signalling to us,

s heart go out i

; and the first thing, after his kiss to us all, was to turn to the fl

Hester?

she has not le

se?" he said. "He always did get some flower like this

looked doubtfully at each other, but Fulk quietly said, "Yes, you may go." An

; that was

running up the stairs, knocking, and coming in with his boyish, "Good morning, Hester, I do hope you are better;" and bending

ern version of St. Doro

caught him passionately in her arms, and held him till he almos

m-what do you

ed, half dismayed. "Bes

n't you know we wou

"You are my sister all the same, and oh-if you would let me t

o must

ester; and I've been thinking about you

he boy's eyes, the blessed w

she cried till she was absolutely s

e pillow she begged for Trevorsham to wish her good-n

s love. Perhaps it did her the more good that after all he was only a boy, sometimes forgot her, and sometimes hurried after his own conce

was at home, she seemed to think of no one else. But she had softened to us all, and accepted us as her belongings, in a mat

go away alone; for indeed, it was true that disease of the lungs had set i

"I don't see why you should all be so goo

so little to do with the matter; but I bent down

I-I-I was the first to devise mischief against that boy. Perrault would never have thought of it,

did not,

om your home and rank, and came from wishing

d said, "If I may only see my child again, even from the other side of the great gulf, I would be ready

t of! I don't think she took it in then, but the beginning was made, and she turned away no more from w

ught his due had eaten into her heart. She had loved her husband before, but his resistance had chafed her, and gradually she felt it an injustice and cruelty, and her love and respect withered away, ti

at time she had prayed. Then a sense that Heaven was unjust to her and her boy filled her with grim rebellion, and she

im, half loved him; hated him as standing in her son's light,

over her how easily a fever might yet sweep him away. And yet she says, all down the street, she was trying to persuade herself to forget Emily's warning, and to disbelieve in the infe

r and Trevorsham. "Did you take him to the shop?" he asked. And when she mentioned Miss

ntinued agony, half of hope, half of terror and grief and pity, her longing for Trevor's promotion, balanced by the thought of the grief he would suffer for his friend. Any time those five years she told me she t

sion of the Trevorsham property, kept the consciousness of his purpose bef

to go out duck shooting, Perrault had quietly said in the late evening, "

thinks he said so

alf triumphant at the notion of putting an end to Fulk's power o

elf that if it was to be, he would be spared the sight. She was growing jealous of his

! oh! po

her desire

re, an

f the

t. The sense of infinite redeeming love penetrated at last, and trust in pardon, and with pardon came peace. Peac

to us, and as she grew weaker, she also became more cheerful! an

and took great interest in his arrangemen

from being a fine lady. I might never have known Arthur; and if I h

ss Prior took care to tell us that there were horrid whispers about, that Hester had known, and if not, Mrs. Deerhurst could no

ng her on that walk to the scarlet-fever place, and asked Jaquetta

and did not ask leave. The white doe

shrank from her, and she now realized

he was gone she hoped all would come right. Of course the old position could n

had taken the bargain. Aye, and if God's providence had allowed our wicked purp

their early love and his warnings. I think the way she had saddened his late

the year had come round again, and we loved her more each day we nursed he

ing hush-money. It did not come till she was too ill to open it-only in t

gainst him, and recommended him to let himsel

, which had been settled on herself and Trevor, to be divided equ

it was what my father would

oung Dr. Cradock settle down happily and

ination, to make Mrs. Deerhurst withdraw her opposition.

kimping's Lawn, though Alured declares they have spoilt th

n our old church, and since that I have come to ma

riends; and if it feels too large and empty for me in his absence, I can always wal

n, she would have been half so happy as the

nd he talks out what is in his heart; that it is a great responsibility to stand in the pla

Trevor Lea's life will be his guiding