"And I do love you so much the better for it," said Fanny; a better
companion to-day than the grave, strong Alison, who would have been
kind, but would have had to suppress some marvel at the break-down, and
some resentment that Edward had no greater share in it.
The morning's post brought her the first letter from her husband, and
in the midst of all her anxiety as to the contents, she could not but
linger a moment on the aspect of the Honourable Mrs. Colin Keith in his
handwriting; there was a carefulness in the penmanship that assured her
that, let him have to tell her what he would, the very inditing of
that address had been enjoyment to him. That the border was black told
nothing, but the intelligence was such as she had been fully prepared
for. Colin had arrived to find the surgeon's work over, but the patient
fast sinking. Even his recognition of his brother had been uncertain,
and within twenty-four hours of the morning that had given Colin a home
of his own, the last remnant of the home circle of his childhood had
passed from him.
Still Ermine had to continue a widowed bride for full a fortnight,
whilst the funeral and subsequent arrangements necessitated Colin's
presence in Scotland. It was on a crisp, beautiful October evening that
Rose, her chestnut hair flying about her brow, stood, lighted up by the
sunbeams in the porch, with upraised face and outstretched hands, and as
the Colonel bent down to receive her joyous embrace, said, "Aunt Ermine
gave me leave to bring you to the door. Then I am going to Myrtlewood
till bed-time. And after that I shall always have you."
The open door showed Ermine, too tremulous to trust to her crutch, but
leaning forward, her eyes liquid with tears of thankfulness. The patient
spirits had reached their home and haven, the earthly haven of loving
hearts, the likeness of the heavenly haven, and as her head leant, at
last, upon his shoulder, and his guardian arm encircled her, there was
such a sense of rest and calm that even the utterance of their inward
thanksgiving, or of a word of tenderness would have jarred upon them. It
was not till a knock and message at the door interrupted them, that they
could break the blessed stillness.
"And there you are, my Ermine!" said Colin, standing on the hearth-rug,
and surveying her with satisfied eyes. "You are a queenly looking dame
in your black draperies, and you look really well, much better than
Rachel led me to expect."
"Ah! when she was here I had no fixed day to look forward to. And
receiving our poor little orphan baby was not exactly like receiving his
uncle, though Rachel seemed to think it ought to make up for anything."