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reasonable as possible； though much grieved that he thought she could
not be present。
Ethel； after going with Meta to her room at night； returned as usual
to talk matters over with him； and again say how good Meta was。
〃And I think Norman's coming did her a great deal of good；〃 said
Ethel。
〃Ha！ yes；〃 said the doctor thoughtfully。
〃She thinks so much of Mr。 Rivers having been fond of him。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the doctor； 〃he was。 I find； in glancing over the will；
which was newly made on Flora's marriage； that he has remembered
Normanleft him ？00 and his portfolio of prints by Raffaelle。〃
〃Has he； indeed？how very kind； how much Norman will value it。〃
〃It is remarkable；〃 said Dr。 May； and then； as if he could not help
it； told Ethel what Mr。 Rivers had said of his wishes with regard to
his daughter。 Ethel blushed and smiled； and looked so much touched
and delighted； that he grew alarmed and said； 〃You know； Ethel； this
must be as if it never had been mentioned。〃
〃What！ you will not tell Norman？〃
〃No； certainly not； unless I see strong cause。 They are very fond of
each other； certainly； but they don't know； and I don't know； whether
it is not like brother and sister。 I would not have either of them
guess at this； or feel bound in any way。 Why； Ethel； she has thirty
thousand pounds； and I don't know how much more。〃
〃Thirty thousand！〃 said Ethel； her tone one of astonishment； while
his had been almost of objection。
〃It would open a great prospect；〃 continued Dr。 May complacently；
〃with Norman's talents； and such a lift as that； he might be one of
the first men in England； provided he had nerve and hardness enough；
which I doubt。〃
〃He would not care for it；〃 said Ethel。
〃No； but the field of usefulness； but what an old fool I am； after
all my resolutions not to be ambitious for that boy； to be set a…
going by such a thing as this！ Still Norman is something out of the
common way。 I wonder what Spencer thinks of him。〃
〃And you never mean them to hear of it？〃
〃If they settle it for themselves；〃 said Dr。 May； 〃that sanction will
come in to give double value to mine； or if I should see poor Norman
hesitating as to the inequality； I might smooth the way； but you see；
Ethel； this puts us in a most delicate situation towards this pretty
little creature。 What her father wanted was only to guard her from
fortune…hunters； and if she should marry suitably elsewherewhy； we
will be contented。〃
〃I don't think I should be；〃 said Ethel。
〃She is the most winning of humming…birds； and what we see of her
now； gives one double confidence in her。 She is so far from the
petted； helpless girl that he； poor man； would fain have made her！
And she has a bright； brave temper and elastic spirits that would be
the very thing for him； poor boy； with that morbid sensitivenesshe
would not hurt her； and she would brighten him。 It would be a very
pretty thingbut we must never think about it again。〃
〃If we can help it；〃 said Ethel。
〃Ah！ I am sorry I have put it into your head too。 We shall not so
easily be unconscious now； when they talk about each other in the
innocent way they do。 We have had a lesson against being pleased at
match…making！〃 But； turning away from the subject； 〃You shall not
lose your Cocksmoor income； Ethel〃
〃I had never thought of that。 You have taken no fees here since we
have been all one family。〃
〃Well； he has been good enough to leave me ？00； and Cocksmoor can
have the interest； if you like。〃
〃Oh； thank you； papa。〃
〃It is only its due； for I suppose that is for attendance。
Personally； to myself； he has left that beautiful Claude which he
knew I admired so much。 He has been very kind！ But； after all； we
ought not to be talking of all thisI should not have known it； if I
had not been forced to read the will。 Well； so we are in Flora's
house； Ethel！ I wonder how poor dear little Meta will feel the being
a guest here； instead of the mistress。 I wish that boy were three or
four years older！ I should like to take her straight home with usI
should like to have her for a daughter。 I shall always look on her
as one。〃
〃As a Daisy！〃 said Ethel。
〃Don't talk of it！〃 said Dr。 May hastily； 〃this is no time for such
things。 After all； I am glad that the funeral is not hereFlora and
Meta might be rather overwhelmed with these three incongruous sets of
relations。 By their letters； those Riverses must be quite as queer a
lot as George's relations。 After all； if we have nothing else；
Ethel； we have the best of it； in regard to such relations as we
have。〃
〃There is Lord Cosham；〃 said Ethel。
〃Yes； he is Meta's guardian； as well as her brother； but he could not
have her to live with him。 She must depend upon Flora。 But we shall
see。〃
Ethel felt confident that Flora would be very kind to her little
sister…in…law； and yet one of those gleams of doubt crossed her；
whether Flora would not be somewhat jealous of her own authority。
Late the next evening； the carriage drove to the door； and George and
Flora appeared in the hall。 Their sisters went out to meet them； and
George folded Meta in his arms； and kissing her again and again；
called her his poor dear little sister； and wept bitterly； and even
violently。 Flora stood beside Ethel； and said； in a low voice； that
poor George felt it dreadfully； and then came forward； touched him
gently； and told him that he must not overset Meta； and； drawing her
from him； kissed her； and said what a grievous time this had been for
her； and how sorry they had been to leave her so long； but they knew
she was in the best hands。
〃Yes； I should have been so sorry you had been over…tired。 I was
quite well off；〃 said Meta。
〃And you must look on us as your home；〃 added Flora。
〃How can she？〃 thought Ethel。 〃This is taking possession； and making
Meta a guest already！〃
However； Meta did not seem so to feel itshe replied by caresses；
and turned again to her brother。 Poor George was by far the most
struck down of all the mourners； and his whole demeanour gave his new
relations a much warmer feeling towards him than they could ever have
hoped to entertain。 His gentle refined father had softly impressed
his duller nature； and his want of attention and many extravagances
came back upon him acutely now； in his changed home。 He could hardly
bear to look at his little orphan sister； and lavished every mark of
fondness upon her； nor could he endure to sit at the bottom of his
table； but when they had gone in to dinner； he turned away from the
chair and hid his face。 He was almost like a child in his want of
self…restraint； and with all Dr。 May's kind soothing manner； he could
not bring him to attend to any of the necessary questions as to
arrangements； and was obliged to refer to Flora； whose composed good
sense was never at fault。
Ethel was surprised to find that it would be a great distress to Meta
to part with her until the funeral was over； though she would hardly
express a wish lest Ethel should be needed at home。 As soon as Flora
perceived this； she begged her sister to stay； and again Ethel felt
unpleasantly that Meta might have seen； if she had chosen； that Flora
took the invitation upon herself。
So； while Dr。 May； with George； Norman； and Tom； went to London； she
remained； though not exactly knowing what good she was doing； unless
by making the numbers rather less scanty； but both sisters declared
her to be the greatest comfort possible； and when Meta shut herself
up in her own room； where she had long learned to seek strength in
still communing with her own heart； Flora seemed to find it a relief
to call her sister to hers； and talk over ordinary subjects； in a
tone that struck on Ethel's ear as a little incongruousbut then
Flora had not been here from the first； and the impression could not
be as strong。 She was very kind； and her manner； when with others；
was perfect； from its complete absence of affectation； but； alone
with Ethel； there was a little complacency sometimes betrayed； and
some curiosity whether her father had read the will。 Ethel allowed
what she had heard of the contents to be extracted from her； and it
certainly did not diminish Flora's secret satisfaction in being
'somebody'。
She told the whole history of her visits； first； how cordial Lady
Leonora Langdale had been； and then； how happy she had been at
Glenbracken。 The old Lord and Lady； and Marjorie； all equally
charming in their various ways； and Norman Ogilvie so good a son； and
so highly thought of in his own country。
〃Did I tell you； Ethel； that he desired to be remembered to you？〃
〃Yes； you said so。〃
〃What has Coralie done with it？〃 continued Flora； seeking in her
dressing…case。 〃She must have put it away with my brooches。 Oh； no；
here it is。 I had been looking for Cairngorm specimens in a shop；
saying I wanted a brooch that you would wear； when Norman Ogilvie
came riding after the carriage； looking quite hot and eager。 He had
been to some other place； and hunted this one up。 Is it not a
beauty？〃
It was one of the round Bruce brooches； of dark pebble； with a silver
fern…leaf lying across it； the dots of small Cairngorm s