“If there can be disappointment where hope has never existed.  But if a man finds he can’t have his great good, it may make him look for the greater.”

Mary sighed a mute and thankful acquiescence.

“The worst of it is about you, Mary.  It is throwing you over just as you were coming to make me a home.”

“Never mind, Davie.  It is only deferred, and at any rate we can keep together till Midsummer.  Then I can go out again for a year or two, and perhaps you will settle somewhere where the curate’s sister could get a daily engagement.”

The next day they found the following letter at the post office:—-

“The Folly, Jan. 3rd.

“My Dear Mary,-—I suppose you may have attained the blessed realms that lie beyond the borders of Gossip, and may not have heard the nine days’ wonder that Belforest had descended on the Folly, and that poor old Mr. Barnes has left his whole property to me.  My dear, it would be something awful even if he had done his duty and halved it between Elvira and me, and he has ingeniously tied it up with trustees so as to make restitution impossible.  As it is, my income will be not less than forty thousand pounds a year, and when divided among the children they will all be richer than perhaps is good for them.

“And now, my dear old dragon, will you come and keep me in order under the title of governess to Barbara and Elvira?  For, of course, the child will go on living with us, and will have it made up to her as far as possible.  You know that I shall do all manner of foolish things, but I think they will be rather fewer if you will only come and take me in hand.  My trustees are the Colonel and an old solicitor, and will both look after the estate; but as for the rest, all that the Colonel can say is, that it is a frightful respons-ibility, and her Serene Highness is awe-struck.  I could not have conceived that such a thing could have made so much difference in so really good a woman.  Now I don’t think you will be subject to gold dust in the eyes, and, I believe, you will still see the same little wild goose, or stormy petrel, that you used to bully at Bath, and will be even more willing to perform the process.  As I should have begun by saying, on the very first evening Babie showed her sense by proposing you as governess, and you were unanimously elected in full and free parliament.  It really was the child’s own thought and proposal, and what I want is to have those two children made wiser and better than I can make them, as well as that you should be the dear comrade and friend I need more than ever.  You will see more of your brother than you could otherwise, for Belforest will be our chief home, and I need not say how welcome he will always be there.  It is not habitable at present, so I mean to stay on in the Folly till Easter, and then give Janet the London lectures and classes she has been raving for these two years, and take Jessie also for music lessons, if she can be spared.