"
"I know; they are in the last volume, toward the end," said Bessie
Fairfax, and quickly found them. "They do not say that God gave man
love; and that is a craving too. Don't you think so?"
Lady Latimer looked straight before her out of the window with lips
compressed.
"What do you mean by love, my dear?--so many foolish feelings go by that
name," said Miss Charlotte, filling the pause.
"Oh, I mean just love--the warm, happy feeling in my heart toward
everybody who belongs to me or is good to me--to my father and mother
and all of them at home, and to my grandfather now and my uncle
Laurence, and more besides."
"You are an affectionate soul!" said my lady, contemplating her quietly.
"You were born loving and tender--"
"Like dear Dorothy," added Miss Charlotte with a sigh. "It is a great
treasure, a warm heart."
"Some of us have hearts of stone given us--more our misfortune than our
fault," said Lady Latimer with a sudden air of offence, and turned and
left the room, preceding the others down stairs. Bessie was startled;
Miss Charlotte made no sign, but when they were in the hall she asked
her sister if she would not like to see the gardens once more. Indeed
she would, she said; and, addressing Bessie with equanimity restored,
she reminded her how she had once told her that Abbotsmead was very
beautiful and its gardens always sunny, and she hoped that Bessie was
not disappointed, but found them answer to her description.
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