to become the united source of joy and of pride to the childless man who
now favoured the one to exclude the other. Nor in these schemes had the
absent wanderer been forgotten. No; could Sophy's virtues once be
recognised by Darrell, and her alleged birth acknowledged by him--could
the guardian, who, in fostering those virtues to bloom by Darrell's
hearth, had laid under the deepest obligations one who, if unforgiving to
treachery, was grateful for the humblest service--could that guardian
justify the belief in his innocence which George Morley had ever
entertained, and, as it now proved, with reason--then where on all earth
a man like Guy Darrell to vindicate William Losely's attainted honour, or
from whom William Losely might accept cherishing friendship and
independent ease, with so indisputable a right to both! Such had been
the picture that the fond and sanguine imagination of Caroline Montfort
had drawn from generous hope, and coloured with tender fancies. But alas
for such castles in the air! All had failed. She had only herself to
blame. Instead of securing Sophys welfare, she had endangered Sophy's
happiness. They whom she had desired to unite were irrevocably
separated. Bitterly she accused herself--her error in relying so much on
Lionel's influence with Darrell--on her own early remembrance of
Darrell's affectionate nature and singular sympathies with the young--
and thus suffering Lionel and Sophy to grow familiar with each other's
winning characters, and carry on childlike romance into maturer
sentiment. She spoke, though briefly, of her visit to Darrell, and its
ill success--of the few letters that had passed since then between
herself and Lionel, in which it was settled that he should seek no
parting interview with Sophy. He had declared to Sophy no formal suit--
they had exchanged no lovers' vows. It would be, therefore, but a
dishonourable cruelty to her to say, "I come to tell you that I love you,
and that we must part for ever." And how avow the reason--that reason
that would humble her to the dust? Lionel was forbidden to wed with one