Mrs. Costello’s spirits had risen since their plans were settled.  The burden which was new to Lucia had been her companion for years, and, except when the actual terror of falling once again into her husband’s hands was upon her, she had come to bear it with resignation and patience.  She had, of late years, endured far more on her child’s account than on her own; and to find that Lucia met her share of suffering with such steady courage, and still had the same tender and clinging love for herself, was an inexpressible relief.  She had faith in the words she had said on the night when the story of her life had been told, she believed that a better happiness might yet come to that beloved child than the one she had lost.  So she lived in greater peace than she had done for years before.

But her greatest anxiety at this moment regarded Mr. Leigh and Maurice.  She had waited for news of Maurice’s arrival in England and reception by his grandfather, before writing to him, as she had promised to do.  For she wished him to be able to decide, on receiving her letter, what was the best plan for Mr. Leigh’s comfort, in case he should himself be detained in Norfolk.  The accounts which the first mail brought showed plainly that this would be the case.  Mr. Beresford had immediately taken a fancy to his grandson, and would scarcely spare him out of his sight.  Mrs. Costello, therefore, wrote to Maurice, telling him that the time she had half anticipated had really arrived, and that she and Lucia were about to leave Canada.  At the same time she had a long conversation with Mr. Leigh, describing to him more of her circumstances and plans than she wished any other person to know, and expressing the regret she felt at leaving him in his solitude.  A question, indeed, arose whether it would not be better for him to leave his large solitary house, and remove into the town, but this was soon decided in the negative.  He would remain where he was for the present.  Maurice might yet return to Canada; if not, possibly next year he might himself go to England.  One circumstance made Mrs. Costello and Lucia more inclined to favour this plan—­the old man’s health had certainly improved.  Whether it was the link to his earlier and happier life, which had been furnished by the late relenting of his wife’s father, or from some other cause, he seemed to have laid aside much of his infirmity, and to have returned from his premature old age to something like vigour.

A fortnight yet remained before the cottage was to be deserted, when Doctor Morton and his wife returned home.  The gossip of the neighbourhood which, as was inevitable, had been for a little while busy with Mr. Percy and Lucia, was turned into another channel by their coming, and people again occupied themselves with the bride.  Lucia was obliged to visit her friend, and to join the parties given on the occasion, and so day after day slipped by, and the surface of affairs seemed so unchanged that, but for one or two absent faces, it would have been difficult to believe in all that had happened lately.