The day after his return from London, Lady Clavering sent for Harry up to the House.  “So you saw my sister in London?!” she said.

“Yes,” said Harry, blushing; “as I was in town, I thought that I might as well meet her.  But, as you said, Lady Ongar is able to do without much assistance of that kind.  I only just saw her.”

“Julia took it so kindly of you; but she seems surprised that you did not come to her the following day.  She thought you would have called.”

“Oh, dear, no.  I fancied that she would be too tired and too busy to wish to see any mere acquaintance.”

“Ah, Harry, I see that she has angered you,” said Lady Clavering; “otherwise you would not talk about mere acquaintance.”

“Not in the least.  Angered me!  How could she anger me?  What I meant was that at such a time she would probably wish to see no one but people on business—­unless it was some one near to her, like yourself or Hugh.”

“Hugh will not go to her.”

“But you will do so; will you not?”

“Before long I will.  You don’t seem to understand, Harry—­and, perhaps, it would be odd if you did—­that I can’t run up to town and back as I please.  I ought not to tell you this, I dare say, but one feels as though one wanted to talk to some one about one’s affairs.  At the present moment, I have not the money to go—­even if there was no other reason.”  These last words she said almost in a whisper, and then she looked up into the young man’s face, to see what he thought of the communication she had made him.

“Oh, money!” he said.  “You could soon get money.  But I hope it won’t be long before you go.”

On the next morning but one, a letter came by the post for him from Lady Ongar.  When he saw the handwriting, which he knew, his heart was at once in his mouth, and he hesitated to open his letter at the breakfast table.  He did open it and read it, but, in truth, he hardly understood it or digested it till he had taken it away with him up to his own room.  The letter, which was very short, was as follows: 

Dear Friend:—­I felt your kindness in coming to me at the station so much! the more, perhaps, because others, who owed me more kindness, have paid me less.  Don’t suppose that I allude to poor Hermione, for, in truth, I have no intention to complain of her.  I thought, perhaps, you would have come to see me before you left London; but I suppose you were hurried.  I hear from Clavering that you are to be up about your new profession in a day or two.  Pray come and see me before you have been many days in London.  I shall have so much to say to you!  The rooms you have taken are everything that I wanted, and I am so grateful!

    Yours ever,

    J. O.

When Harry had read and had digested this, he became aware that he was again fluttered.  “Poor creature!” he said to himself; “it is sad to think how much she is in want of a friend.”