possible. The pretty Mrs. Horace, who, from the first, had taken a great
interest in her, now felt a real desire to serve one who, by the force
of circumstances over which she had no control, had been left, as it
were, alone in the world, and that, too, at an age and with such
personal attractions as usually require the most careful watching of
parent or guardian, and it entered her pretty head that she could serve
her friend most effectually and at the same time secure for herself that
which was so much needed in her Indian home in the far East, a personal
friend and companion. Good, easy Horace, she knew, would not object, and
scarcely had Edith been one week at the Willows before she had unfolded
to her the scheme she had worked out for their mutual benefit; and
meeting the approval of the whole family, Edith was only too happy to
accompany Mrs. Barton on her return to Calcutta, for, thought she, I
have no relative in England to miss me, or mourn for me, but in India I
perhaps have, and her thoughts wandered to Arthur Carlton and the
probability of their meeting in the land beyond the seas. After a few
weeks' longer residence in Devonshire, the pretty little wife of the
Judge, accompanied by Edith, left by the overland route to return to her
home in the City of Palaces. And such was the effect on Edith of change
of scene and a life so entirely new to her, among a people whose habits,
manners and customs were strangely at variance with anything she had
hitherto experienced, and she now remembered, with feelings of emotion
softened by time, that uncle, whose death she had so deeply lamented,
that her health and spirits gradually returned, and with them that
beauty, which had adorned her before her sad bereavement, and for a few
years her residence in India was in no way distasteful to her. During
this time she had frequently heard of Arthur Carlton, but they had only
met twice, his regiment being employed at so great a distance from
Calcutta in settling some disturbances among the Rohillas of Rohilcund,
that it was very difficult for a subaltern to obtain leave of absence.