s Fairfax was an absence of enthusiasm for themselves; and Bessie was
so thankful that she had overcome her perverse trick of blushing at
nothing. When she took her final leave of them before quitting Minster
Court, Mr. Cecil Burleigh said that he should probably be over at
Abbotsmead in the course of the ensuing week, and Bessie was glad as
usual, and smiled cordially, and hoped that blue would win--as if he
were thinking only of the election!

He was thinking of it, and perhaps primarily, but his interest in
herself was becoming so much warmer and more personal than it had
promised to be that it would have given him distinct pleasure to
perceive that she was conscious of it.

The report of Mr. Laurence Fairfax's private marriage had spread through
city and country, but Bessie went back to Kirkham without having heard
it discussed except by Mrs. Betts, who was already so deeply initiated
in the family secrets. That sage and experienced woman owned frankly to
her young mistress that in her judgment it was a very good thing, looked
at in the right way.

"A young lady that is a great heiress is more to be pitied than envied:
that is my opinion," said she. "If she is not made a sacrifice of in
marriage, it is a miracle. Men run after her for her money, or she
fancies they do, which comes to the same thing; and perhaps she doesn't
marry at all for suspecting nobody loves her; which is downright
foolish. Jonquil and Macky are in great spirits over what has come out,
and I don't suppose there is one neighbor to Kirkham that won't be
pleased to hear that there's grandsons, even under the rose, to carry on
the old line. Mrs. Laurence is a dear sweet lady, and the children are
handsome little fellows as ever stepped; their father may well be proud
of 'em. He has done a deal better for himself the second time than he
did the first. I dare say it was what he suffered the first time made
him choose so different the second. It is not to be wondered at that the
squire is vext, but he ought to have learnt wisdom now, and it is to be
hoped he will come round by and by. But whether or not, the deed's done,
and he cannot undo it."

Mrs. Betts's summary embodied all the common sense of the case, and left
nothing more to be said.

CHAPTER XXIX.

_LADY LATIMER IN WOLDSHIRE_.

Mr. Fairfax welcomed Elizabeth on her arrival with an air of reserve, as
if he did not wish to receive any intelligence from Minster Court.
Bessie too