He sat himself down to write a hearty letter to his ’dear old uncle Everard.’

Jenny left him, to go to her chamber and cry.

CHAPTER LIV

THE FRUITS OF THE APOLOGY

This clear heart had cause for tears.  Her just indignation with Lord Romfrey had sustained her artificially hitherto now that it was erased, she sank down to weep.  Her sentiments toward Lydiard had been very like Cecilia Halkett’s in favour of Mr. Austin; with something more to warm them on the part of the gentleman.  He first had led her mind in the direction of balanced thought, when, despite her affection for Dr. Shrapnel, her timorous maiden wits, unable to contend with the copious exclamatory old politician, opposed him silently.  Lydiard had helped her tongue to speak, as well as her mind to rational views; and there had been a bond of union in common for them in his admiration of her father’s writings.  She had known that he was miserably yoked, and had respected him when he seemed inclined for compassion without wooing her for tenderness.  He had not trifled with her, hardly flattered; he had done no more than kindle a young girl’s imaginative liking.  The pale flower of imagination, fed by dews, not by sunshine, was born drooping, and hung secret in her bosom, shy as a bell of the frail wood-sorrel.  Yet there was pain for her in the perishing of a thing so poor and lowly.  She had not observed the change in Lydiard after Beauchamp came on the scene:  and that may tell us how passionlessly pure the little maidenly sentiment was.  For do but look on the dewy wood-sorrel flower; it is not violet or rose inviting hands to pluck it:  still it is there, happy in the woods.  And Jenny’s feeling was that a foot had crushed it.

She wept, thinking confusedly of Lord Romfrey; trying to think he had made his amends tardily, and that Beauchamp prized him too highly for the act.  She had no longer anything to resent:  she was obliged to weep.  In truth, as the earl had noticed, she was physically depressed by the strain of her protracted watch over Beauchamp, as well as rather heartsick.

But she had been of aid and use in saving him!  She was not quite a valueless person; sweet, too, was the thought that he consulted her, listened to her, weighed her ideas.  He had evidently taken to study her, as if dispersing some wonderment that one of her sex should have ideas.  He had repeated certain of her own which had been forgotten by her.  His eyes were often on her with this that she thought humorous intentness.  She smiled.  She had assisted in raising him from his bed of sickness, whereof the memory affrighted her and melted her.  The difficulty now was to keep him indoors, and why he would not go even temporarily to a large house like Mount Laurels, whither Colonel Halkett was daily requesting him to go, she was unable to comprehend.  His love of Dr. Shrapnel might account for it.