As for the young men themselves, they were congenial spirits—two noble sons of a noble father! The tenderest ties of affection had united them from the moment of their first meeting; their hopes, and aspirations, and sympathies were the same, and wherever they went their aim was to do good.
As soon as he felt he could do so, without offending Herbert, Charles had proposed taking him to a noted surgeon in Paris to see if anything could be done to remedy the deformity which was so wearisome to himself and so unsightly to others.
The result had been beyond their expectations, although the operation had involved infinite pain and patience. The twisted foot and leg had been straightened, and that bowed head lifted, until the young man could walk erect like others. But the withered hand, of course, could not be restored, though the great surgeon had said much more could have been done for him had he been treated in his early youth. This intelligence the brothers did not impart to their mother, willing to save her an added pang while she was suffering so much.
The cripple’s health had improved greatly since he had been able to have plenty of out-door exercise, and his face lost much of that deep sadness which had so touched Brownie’s tender heart when she first saw him, but there was always a wistful look about his eyes which told of a life that had had but little of joy in it.
Adrian’s wife Herbert Randal considered the essence of perfection, and he spent many hours at her charming home, and often accompanied her upon her errands of mercy among the poor, while she valued him among her choicest friends.
Sir Charles also had the most profound respect for her, and to-day, as she drove up to their elegant residence, he sprang to assist her to alight, a most cordial welcome on his lips and shining in his eyes.
She lingered a moment in the hall with him, and putting her two letters in his hands, said:
“Go away by yourself and read these carefully, while I make my call upon your mother and Lady Ruxley, and then come and tell me if you can forgive as I do.”
He looked at her a moment in astonishment, then at the address upon the back of each letter. In an instant the color flamed into his face as he recognized the handwriting upon one; he lifted his head haughtily, his lip curled just a trifle in scorn, then, turning without a word, he conducted her to Lady Ruxley’s apartments, dispatched a servant to tell his mother that Mrs. Dredmond had called, and quickly withdrew with a strange quickening of his heart-pulses.
Herbert had already taken Adrian off to inspect a new conservatory which was being built.