your visit to Fairfield in the spring,
Elizabeth: would you like to go now? Lady Latimer renews her invitation,
and I will spare you for a week or two."

Oh, the surprise and delight of this unexpected bounty! Bessie blushed
with gratitude. She was the most grateful soul alive, and for the
smallest mercies. Lady Latimer wrote that she should not find Fairfield
dull, for Dora Meadows was on a long stay there, and she expected her
friend Mr. Logger, and probably other visitors. Mr. Fairfax watched his
granddaughter narrowly through the perusal of the document. There could
be no denial that she was eagerness itself to go, but whether she had
any motive deeper than the renewal of love with the family amidst which
she had been brought up, he could not ascertain. There was a great
jealousy in his mind concerning that young Musgrave of whose visit to
Bayeux Mr. Cecil Burleigh had told him, and a settled purpose to hinder
Elizabeth from what he would have called an unequal match. At the same
time that he would not force her will, he would have felt fully
justified in thwarting it; but he had a hope that the romance of her
childish memories would fade at contact with present realities. Lady
Latimer had suggested this possible solution of a difficulty, and Lady
Angleby had supported her, and had agreed that it was time now to give
Mr. Cecil Burleigh a new opportunity of urging his suit, and the coy
young lady a chance of comparing him with those whom her affection and
imagination had invested with greater attractions. There was feminine
diplomacy in this, and the joyful accident that appeared to Bessie a
piece of spontaneous kindness and good-fortune was the result of a
well-laid and well-matured plan. However, as she remained in blissful
ignorance of the design, there was no shadow forecast upon her pleasure,
and she prepared for a fortnight's absence with satisfaction unalloyed.

"You are quite sure you will not miss me, grandpapa--quite sure you can
do without me?" she affectionately pleaded.

"Yes, yes, I can do without you. I shall miss you, and shall be glad to
see you home again, but you have deserved your holiday, and Lady Latimer
might feel hurt if I refused to let you go."

Before leaving Woldshire, Bessie went to Norminster. The old house in
Minster Court was more delightful to her than ever. There was another
little boy in the nursery now, called Richard, after his grandfather.
Bessie had to seek Mrs. Laurence Fair