If he had been hot-tempered he had
also been generous, or I should rather say careless and lavish with his
money. And now that he was cheated and impoverished by his partner's
delinquency, they thought it no wonder that he drank long and deep in the
solitary evenings which he passed at home. It was not that he was
without invitations. Every one came forward to testify their respect for
him by asking him to their houses. He had probably never been so
universally popular since his father's death. But, as he said, he did
not care to go into society while his daughter was so ill--he had no
spirits for company.
But if any one had cared to observe his conduct at home, and to draw
conclusions from it, they could have noticed that, anxious as he was
about Ellinor, he rather avoided than sought her presence, now that her
consciousness and memory were restored. Nor did she ask for, or wish for
him. The presence of each was a burden to the other. Oh, sad and woeful
night of May--overshadowing the coming summer months with gloom and
bitter remorse!
CHAPTER VIII.
Still youth prevailed over all. Ellinor got well, as I have said, even
when she would fain have died. And the afternoon came when she left her
room. Miss Monro would gladly have made a festival of her recovery, and
have had her conveyed into the unused drawing-room.
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