"I did not attempt to return his smile—I was too indignant with young Mr. Harrington to aid in glossing over his conduct.
"'Believe me, my dear ward,' said the General suddenly, 'only a grave reason has made me start on this journey. Good bye—God bless you. Let me find you well and happy when I return.'
"He touched my forehead gently with his lips, and was gone.
"I was about to knock at Mrs. Harrington's door, when I saw James coming down the corridor, evidently going there, too. I turned away and went into the salon. I did not wish even to exchange a word with him then.
"It might have been half an hour after, when Lucy Eaton tapped at the door and opened it before I could speak.
"'I knew you were here alone,' she said, 'may I come in?'
"How pretty she looked, standing there in her dress of thin blue muslin, her golden hair falling about that lovely face which, probably, had never in her whole life been disturbed by a single thought or fancy that could cause pain to another.
"'So the General has gone to Cadiz,' she said, as she came into the room and flung herself in a graceful attitude on the sofa near me. 'How lost dear Mrs. Harrington will be;—we must all try to console her.'
"I was so unreasonable and bad tempered that I fear my first impulse was to ask her what possible right she could have to offer the lady consolation; but I managed to keep back that little ebullition of temper, and answered, instead—
"'He will only be gone a few days; Mrs. Harrington will not have a great deal of time to be lonely.'