Henriettas Wish | Page 4

convinced that it ought to be done."
And as Henrietta came to this serious conclusion, they entered the steep
straggling street of the little town of Rocksand, and presently were
within the gates of the sweep which led to the door of the verandahed
Gothic cottage, which looked very tempting for summer's lodging, but
was little fitted for a permanent abode.
In spite of all the longing wishes expressed during the drive, no
ancestral home, beloved by inheritance, could have been entered with
more affectionate rapture than that with which Frederick Langford
sprung from the carriage, and flew to the arms of his mother, receiving
and returning such a caress as could only be known by a boy conscious
that he had done nothing to forfeit home love and confidence.
Turning back the fair hair that hung over his forehead, Mrs. Langford

looked into his eyes, saying, half-interrogatively, half-affirmatively,
"All right, Fred? Nothing that we need be afraid to tell Uncle Geoffrey?
Well, Henrietta, he is grown, but he has not passed you yet. And now,
Freddy, tell us about your examination," added she, as fondly leaning
on his arm, she proceeded into the drawing-room, and they sat down
together on the sofa, talking eagerly and joyously.
Mrs. Frederick Henry Langford, to give her her proper style, was in
truth one whose peculiar loveliness of countenance well deserved the
admiration expressed by her son. It was indeed pale and thin, but the
features were beautifully formed, and had that expression of sweet
placid resignation which would have made a far plainer face beautiful.
The eyes were deep dark blue, and though sorrow and suffering had
dimmed their brightness, their softness was increased; the smile was
one of peace, of love, of serenity; of one who, though sorrow-stricken,
as it were, before her time, had lived on in meek patience and
submission, almost a child in her ways, as devoted to her mother, as
little with a will and way of her own, as free from the cares of this
work-a-day world. The long luxuriant dark brown hair, which once, as
now with Henrietta, had clustered in thick glossy ringlets over her
comb and round her face, was in thick braids beneath the delicate lace
cap which suited with her plain black silk dress. Her figure was slender,
so tall that neither her well-grown son nor daughter had yet reached her
height, and, as Frederick said, with something queenlike in its
unconscious grace and dignity.
As a girl she had been the merriest of the merry, and even now she had
great playfulness of manner, and threw herself into the occupation of
the moment with a life and animation that gave an uncommon charm to
her manners, so that how completely sorrow had depressed and broken
her spirit would scarcely have been guessed by one who had not known
her in earlier days.
Frederick's account of his journey and of his school news was heard
and commented on, a work of time extending far into the dinner; the
next matter in the regular course of conversation on the day of arrival
was to talk over Uncle and Aunt Geoffrey's proceedings, and the
Knight Sutton affairs.
"So, Uncle Geoffrey has been in the North?" said Fred.
"Yes, on a special retainer," said Mrs. Langford, "and very much he

seems to have enjoyed his chance of seeing York Cathedral."
"He wrote to me in court," said Fred, "to tell me what books I had
better get up for this examination, and on a bit of paper scribbled all
over one side with notes of the evidence. He said the Cathedral was
beautiful beyond all he ever imagined."
"Had he never seen it before?" said Henrietta. "Lawyers seem made to
travel in their vacations."
"Uncle Geoffrey could not be spared," said her mamma; "I do not know
what Grandmamma Langford would do if he cheated her of any more
of his holidays than he bestows upon us. He is far too valuable to be
allowed to take his own pleasure."
"Besides, his own pleasure is at Knight Sutton," said Henrietta.
"He goes home just as he used from school," said Mrs. Langford.
"Indeed, except a few grey hairs and crows feet, he is not in the least
altered from those days; his work and play come in just the same way."
"And, as his daughter says, he is just as much the home pet," added
Henrietta, "only rivalled by Busy Bee herself."
"No," said Fred, "according to Aunt Geoffrey, there are two suns in one
sphere: Queen Bee is grandpapa's pet, Uncle Geoffrey grandmamma's.
It must be great fun to see them."
"Happy people!" said Mrs. Langford.
"Henrietta says," proceeded Fred, "that there is a house to be let at
Knight Sutton."
"The Pleasance; yes, I