It seemed to be supposed, by general consent, that the most natural thing was to consider Mr. Lennox henceforward as Margaret’s legal adviser.  She was so entirely ignorant of all forms of business that in nearly everything she had to refer to him.  He chose out her attorney; he came to her with papers to be signed.  He was never so happy as when teaching her of what all these mysteries of the law were the signs and types.

‘Henry,’ said Edith, one day, archly; ’do you know what I hope and expect all these long conversations with Margaret will end in?’

‘No, I don’t,’ said he, reddening.  ’And I desire you not to tell me.’

’Oh, very well; then I need not tell Sholto not to ask Mr. Montagu so often to the house.’

‘Just as you choose,’ said he with forced coolness.  ’What you are thinking of, may or may not happen; but this time, before I commit myself, I will see my ground clear.  Ask whom you choose.  It may not be very civil, Edith, but if you meddle in it you will mar it.  She has been very farouche with me for a long time; and is only just beginning to thaw a little from her Zenobia ways.  She has the making of a Cleopatra in her, if only she were a little more pagan.’

‘For my part,’ said Edith, a little maliciously, ’I am very glad she is a Christian.  I know so very few!’

There was no Spain for Margaret that autumn; although to the last she hoped that some fortunate occasion would call Frederick to Paris, whither she could easily have met with a convoy.  Instead of Cadiz, she had to content herself with Cromer.  To that place her aunt Shaw and the Lennoxes were bound.  They had all along wished her to accompany them, and, consequently, with their characters, they made but lazy efforts to forward her own separate wish.  Perhaps Cromer was, in one sense of the expression, the best for her.  She needed bodily strengthening and bracing as well as rest.

Among other hopes that had vanished, was the hope, the trust she had had, that Mr. Bell would have given Mr. Thornton the simple facts of the family circumstances which had preceded the unfortunate accident that led to Leonards’ death.  Whatever opinion—­however changed it might be from what Mr. Thornton had once entertained, she had wished it to be based upon a true understanding of what she had done; and why she had done it.  It would have been a pleasure to her; would have given her rest on a point on which she should now all her life be restless, unless she could resolve not to think upon it.  It was now so long after the time of these occurrences, that there was no possible way of explaining them save the one which she had lost by Mr. Bell’s death.  She must just submit, like many another, to be misunderstood; but, though reasoning herself into the belief that in this hers was no uncommon lot, her heart did not ache the less with longing that some time—­years and years hence—­before he died at any rate, he might know how much she had been tempted.  She thought that she did not want to hear that all was explained to him, if only she could be sure that he would know.  But this wish was vain, like so many others; and when she had schooled herself into this conviction, she turned with all her heart and strength to the life that lay immediately before her, and resolved to strive and make the best of that.