ns. There were various doubts passing
through her mind which she was anxious to have solved. She scarcely,
however, would trust herself to speak of them even to Sophy. She was
soon to have her mind occupied with other cares.

Her father, who had never recovered the loss of his son, or his visit to
the West Indies, was now very evidently declining in health. He could
no longer follow the hounds, or ride out as before. He took little or
no interest in public affairs. Even his neighbours he declined seeing
when they called, though he seemed always glad to have a visit from Mr
Jamieson or his blind niece. He held frequent conversations with the
steward about his affairs, which seemed greatly to trouble him. At
length it was determined to send to Dublin to request the presence of
his family lawyer, Mr Finlayson, who, though now an old man, was
sufficiently hale to undertake the journey. He had, it appeared, as had
his father before him, managed for many years the Kilfinnan property.

Nora willingly agreed to write to request his attendance, for she felt,
that as he was a faithful friend of her father's, he would certainly be
a comfort to him, and might also be able to suggest a means of placing
the property in a more satisfactory state than it was in at present.
She thought nothing of herself; it scarcely occurred to her that she was
to become the heiress of it all. She knew that the title would become
extinct at her father's death, but that caused her no regret. She
supposed that her income would enable her and her cousin Sophy to live
as they had been accustomed. More she did not require.

Within a week Mr Patrick Finlayson arrived in a chaise from Dublin. In
those days the journey was not performed as rapidly as at present, and
the dangers to be encountered were not a few. He was a small, neatly
made, active little man, with a clear complexion, which even his
advanced age had scarcely succeeded in depriving of the hue of youth,
though his hair was white as snow. His eyes were bright and
intelligent, and his whole manner and appearance showed that he was
still capable of a considerable amount of active exertion. His brown
suit, knee breeches, and silk stockings, were set off by brightly
polished steel buttons and diamond buckles. Having paid his respects to
the ladies of the family, and addressed Lady Nora in his usual easy,
familiar style, which showed that he had from her earliest youth,
claimed the ho