attachment to me, and nothing delights him so much as to wait upon
me when I am attending to my ferns, a task I always perform myself,
as you know. To see this poor boy, standing by with a watering-pot
in one hand, and a little basket of dead leaves in the other,
watching me as breathlessly as if I were some great surgeon
operating upon a patient, would make you smile; but I think you
could scarcely fail to be touched by his devotion. He tells me that
he is so happy at Thornleigh, and he begins to look a great deal
brighter already. The men say he is indefatigable in his work, and
worth two ordinary boys. He is passionately fond of flowers, and I
have begun to teach him the elements of botany. It is rather slow
work impressing the names of the plants upon his poor feeble brain;
but he is so anxious to learn, and so proud of being taught, that I
am well repaid for my trouble.'


Milly was very anxious that I should spend Christmas at Thornleigh;
but it was by that time nearly a year since I had seen the dear ones
at home, and ill as my dear father could afford any addition to his
expenses, he wished me to spend my holidays with him; and so it was
arranged that I should return to Warwickshire, much to my dear
girl's regret.

The holiday was a very happy one; and, before it was over, I
received a letter from Milly, telling me that Mr. and Mrs. Darrell
were going abroad for some months, and asking me to cut short my
term at Albury Lodge, and come to Thornleigh as her companion, at a
salary which I thought a very handsome one.

The idea of exchanging the dull monotony of Miss Bagshot's