The lover had been taken from her just as her father and her home had
been. There was no help for it, there was no appeal from the decrees of
Fate. Fate had decreed that she should love Stafford and lose him; and
she could only go on living her grey and dreary life, made all the
greyer and drearier by her short spell of joy and happiness. Sorrow's
crown of sorrow is still the remembrance of happier things; and she
would have to wear that crown in place of the crown of his love, wear
it through all her days; for, young as she was, she knew that she had
given her heart once and for all, that though she might never see
Stafford again, she would love him to the end.
A mist hung over the dale on this, the day of her departure from the
Hall, and all the hills over which she had so loved to ride and walk
were shrouded as if in tears.
She stood and looked at them from the hall window with vacant eyes, as
if she did not yet realise that she was leaving them, perhaps forever;
but she had not long for gazing, for Mr. Heron and she were going by an
early train, and the moment for farewell came swiftly upon her.
With Donald and Bess close at her heels, as if they were aware of their
coming loss, she went round to say good-bye. She crossed the lawn and
went to the spot under the tree where she had met Stafford that
never-to-be-forgotten night, and from thence walked to the corner of
the terrace where they had stood and watched her father coming, in his
sleep, from the ruined chapel. Then she went to the stable to say
good-bye to Rupert, who whinnied as he heard her approaching footstep,
and thrust his soft, velvety nose into her neck. She had to fight hard
against the tears at this point, and she hid her face against that of
the big horse, with her arms thrown round his neck, as she murmured her
last good-bye.
But the tears would not be kept back when it came to saying farewell to
the two faithful souls, Jessie and Jason, with whom she had grown up
from a girl all legs and wings, and whom she had learnt to regard
rather as devoted friends than servants. Jason broke down completely
and hurried away, his old and feeble frame shaking like an autumn leaf;
and Jessie, her arms thrown round her young mistress, and with sobs and
ejaculations, implored her to take her faithful Jessie with her.