scenery, the watchful care of her kind brother, and the progressive
improvement of her babe, produced the desired effect; and when the
promised day arrived, and they walked to the coach-office to meet
Arthur, it was a triumph to hear him declare that he had been thinking
that for once he saw a pretty girl before he found out it was Violet,
grown rosy in her sea-side bonnet.

If the tenor of John's life had been far less agreeable, it would have
been sufficiently compensated by the pleasure of seeing how happy he had
made the young couple, so joyously engrossed with each other, and full
of spirits and merriment.

Violet was gladsome and blithe at meeting her husband again, and Arthur,
wholesomely and affectionately gay, appearing to uncommon advantage. He
spoke warmly of his father. It seemed that they had been much together,
and had understood each other better than ever before. Arthur repeated
gratifying things which Lord Martindale had said of Violet, and, indeed,
it was evident that interest in her was the way to find out his heart.
Of his mother and sister there was less mention, and John began to
gather the state of the case as he listened in the twilight of the
summer evening, while Arthur and Violet sat together on the sofa, and he
leant back in his chair opposite to them, his book held up to catch the
fading light; but his attention fixed on their talk over Arthur's news.

'You have not told me about the drawing-room.'

'Do you think I am going there till I am obliged!'

'What! You did not go with Lady Martindale and Theodora? I should like
to have seen them dressed. Do tell me how they looked.'

'Splendid, no doubt; but you must take it on trust.'

'You did not see them! What a pity! How disappointed Theodora must have
been!'

'Were there not folks enough to look at her?'

'As if they were of any use without you.'

'Little goose! I am not her husband, thank goodness, and wishing him joy
that gets her.'

'O, Arthur, don't! I want to hear of Lady Albury's party. You did go to
that!'

'Yes, my mother lugged me into it, and a monstrous bore it was. I wish
you had been there.'

'Thank you, but if it was so dull--'

'Emma Brandon and I agreed that there was not a woman who would have
been looked at twice if you had been there. We wanted you for a specimen
of what is worth seeing. Fancy! it was such a dearth of good looks that
they were making a star of Mrs. Finch! It was enough to put one in
a rage.