CHAP.  PAGE

I. Her birth and parentage 5
II.  The lawyer’s letter 10
III.  The community of Beechhurst 15
IV.  A ride with the doctor 29
V. Great-Ash ford 37
VI.  Against her inclination 46
VII.  Her fate is sealed 59
VIII.  Bessie’s friends at brook 65
IX.  Farewell to the forest 77
X. Bessie goes into exile 80
XI.  School-days at Caen 89
XII.  In course of time 98
XIII.  Bessie learns A family secret 112
XIV.  On board the “Foam” 117
XV.  A little chapter by the way 124
XVI.  A lost opportunity 127
XVII.  Bessie’s bringing home 135
XVIII.  The next morning 145
XIX.  Neighbors to Abbotsmead 152
XX.  Past and present 160
XXI.  A discovery 170
XXII.  Preliminaries 177
XXIII.  Bessie shows character 188
XXIV.  A quiet policy 194
XXV.  A dinner at Brentwood 198
XXVI.  A morning at Brentwood 209
XXVII.  Some doubts and fears 216
XXVIII.  In minster court 223
XXIX.  Lady Latimer in Woldshire 228
XXX.  My lady revisits old scenes 235
XXXI.  A success and A repulse 241
XXXII.  A hard struggle 254
XXXIII.  A visit to Castlemount 256
XXXIV.  Bessie’s peacemaking 266
XXXV.  Abbotsmead in shadow 273
XXXVI.  Diplomatic 282