"And you will leave, Henry?"
"I will call upon Sir Francis Varney myself, and speak to him upon the subject."
A new impetus to existence appeared now to come over the whole family, at the idea of leaving a place which always would be now associated in their minds with so much terror. Each member of the family felt happier, and breathed more freely than before, so that the change which had come over them seemed almost magical. And Charles Holland, too, was much better pleased, and he whispered to Flora,—
"Dear Flora, you will now surely no longer talk of driving from you the honest heart that loves you?"
"Hush, Charles, hush!" she said; "meet me an hour hence in the garden, and we will talk of this."
"That hour will seem an age," he said.
Henry, now, having made a determination to see Sir Francis Varney, lost no time in putting it into execution. At Mr. Marchdale's own request, he took him with him, as it was desirable to have a third person present in the sort of business negotiation which was going on. The estate which had been so recently entered upon by the person calling himself Sir Francis Varney, and which common report said he had purchased, was a small, but complete property, and situated so close to the grounds connected with Bannerworth Hall, that a short walk soon placed Henry and Mr. Marchdale before the residence of this gentleman, who had shown so kindly a feeling towards the Bannerworth family.
"Have you seen Sir Francis Varney?" asked Henry of Mr. Marchdale, as he rung the gate-bell.
"I have not. Have you?"
"No; I never saw him. It is rather awkward our both being absolute strangers to his person."