Helen waited till her father had retired, which he often did quite early, for the days were growing too long for him, with whom every one of them was numbered; and he listened to the wonderful news which his grandson told him with the even smile of old age, which nothing now either grieves or surprises.

“You’ll not be going to live at the Castle, though, not while I am alive, Helen?” was his first uneasy thought.  But his daughter soon quieted it, and saw him to his bed, as she did every evening, bidding him good-night, and kissing his placid brow—­placid as a child’s—­ just as if he had been her child instead of her father.  Then she took her son’s arm—­such a stalwart arm now, and walked with him through the bright moonlight, clear as day, to Cairnforth Castle.

When they entered the library they found the earl sitting in his usual place, and engaged in his usual evening occupation, which he sometimes called “the hard labor of doing nothing;” for, though he was busy enough in the daytime with a young man he had as secretary—­his faithful old friend, Mr. Mearns, having lately died—­still, he generally spent his evenings alone.  Malcolm lurked within call, in case he wanted any thing; but he rarely did.  Often he would pass hours at a time sitting as now, with his feeble hands folded on his lap, his head bent, and his eyes closed, or else open and looking out straight before him—­ calmly, but with an infinite yearning in them that would have seemed painful to those who did not know how peaceful his inmost nature was.

But at the first sound of his visitors’ footsteps he turned round—­ that is, he turned his little chair round—­and welcomed them heartily and brightly.

A little ordinary talk ensued, in which Cardross scarcely joined.  The young man was not himself at all—­silent, abstracted; and there was an expression in his face which almost frightened his mother, so solemn was it, yet withal so exceedingly sweet.

The earl had been right in his conclusions; he, with his keen insight into character, had judged Cardross better than the boy’s own mother would have done.  Those brilliant prospects, that total change in his expected future, which might have dazzled a lower nature and sent it all astray, made this boy—­Helen’s boy, with Helen’s nature strong in him, only the more sensible of his deficiencies as well as his responsibilities—­humble, self-distrustful, and full of doubts and fears.  Ten years seemed to have passed over his head since morning, changing him from a boy into a sedate, thoughtful man.

Lord Cairnforth noticed this, as he noticed every thing; and at last, seeing the young heart was too full almost to bear much talking, he said kindly,

“Cardross, give your mother that arm-chair; she looks very wearied.  And the, would you mind having a consultation with Malcolm about those salmon-weirs at the head of the Loch Mohr?  I know his is longing to open his heart to you on the subject.  Go, my boy, and don’t hurry back.  I want to have a good long talk with your mother.”