Bessie said
"Yes," of course; and my lady led the way again--led the way everywhere,
and to and fro so long that Miss Charlotte was fain to rest at
intervals, and even Bessie's young feet began to ache with following
her. My lady recollected every turn in the old walks and noted every
alteration that had been made--noted the growth of certain trees, and
here and there where one had disappeared. "The gum-cistus is gone--that
lovely gum-cistus! In the hot summer evenings how sweet it was!--like
Indian spices. And my cedar--the cedar I planted--is gone. It might have
been a great tree now; it must have been cut down."
"No, Olympia, it never grew up--it withered away; Richard Fairfax told
Oliver that it died," said Miss Charlotte.
The ladies from Hartwell were still in the gardens when the squire came
home from Norminster, and on Jonquil's information he joined them there.
"Ah, Olympia! are you here?" he said.
My lady colored, and looked as shy as a girl: "Yes; we were just going.
I am glad to have seen you to say good-bye."
They did not, however, say good-bye yet; they took a turn together
amongst the old familiar places, Miss Charlotte and Bessie resting
meanwhile in the great porch, and philosophizing on what they saw.
"Did you know grandpapa's wife--my grandmamma?" Bessie began by asking.
"Oh yes, my dear. She was a sprightly girl before she married, but all
her life after she went softly.
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