I might, perhaps, have been a little astonished at this extraordinary absence of all self-assertion on Mr. Fairlie’s part, in the character of guardian, if my knowledge of the family affairs had not been sufficient to remind me that he was a single man, and that he had nothing more than a life-interest in the Limmeridge property.  As matters stood, therefore, I was neither surprised nor disappointed at the result of the interview.  Mr. Fairlie had simply justified my expectations—­and there was an end of it.

Sunday was a dull day, out of doors and in.  A letter arrived for me from Sir Percival Glyde’s solicitor, acknowledging the receipt of my copy of the anonymous letter and my accompanying statement of the case.  Miss Fairlie joined us in the afternoon, looking pale and depressed, and altogether unlike herself.  I had some talk with her, and ventured on a delicate allusion to Sir Percival.  She listened and said nothing.  All other subjects she pursued willingly, but this subject she allowed to drop.  I began to doubt whether she might not be repenting of her engagement—­ just as young ladies often do, when repentance comes too late.

On Monday Sir Percival Glyde arrived.

I found him to be a most prepossessing man, so far as manners and appearance were concerned.  He looked rather older than I had expected, his head being bald over the forehead, and his face somewhat marked and worn, but his movements were as active and his spirits as high as a young man’s.  His meeting with Miss Halcombe was delightfully hearty and unaffected, and his reception of me, upon my being presented to him, was so easy and pleasant that we got on together like old friends.  Miss Fairlie was not with us when he arrived, but she entered the room about ten minutes afterwards.  Sir Percival rose and paid his compliments with perfect grace.  His evident concern on seeing the change for the worse in the young lady’s looks was expressed with a mixture of tenderness and respect, with an unassuming delicacy of tone, voice, and manner, which did equal credit to his good breeding and his good sense.  I was rather surprised, under these circumstances, to see that Miss Fairlie continued to be constrained and uneasy in his presence, and that she took the first opportunity of leaving the room again.  Sir Percival neither noticed the restraint in her reception of him, nor her sudden withdrawal from our society.  He had not obtruded his attentions on her while she was present, and he did not embarrass Miss Halcombe by any allusion to her departure when she was gone.  His tact and taste were never at fault on this or on any other occasion while I was in his company at Limmeridge House.

As soon as Miss Fairlie had left the room he spared us all embarrassment on the subject of the anonymous letter, by adverting to it of his own accord.  He had stopped in London on his way from Hampshire, had seen his solicitor, had read the documents forwarded by me, and had travelled on to Cumberland, anxious to satisfy our minds by the speediest and the fullest explanation that words could convey.  On hearing him express himself to this effect, I offered him the original letter, which I had kept for his inspection.  He thanked me, and declined to look at it, saying that he had seen the copy, and that he was quite willing to leave the original in our hands.