Her memory reverted, oftener and oftener, to the March morning when the
master and mistress of the house had departed for London, and then the
first serious change, for many a year past, had stolen over the family
atmosphere. When was that atmosphere to be clear again? When were the
clouds of change to pass off before the returning sunshine of past and
happier times?
The spring and the early summer wore away. The dreaded month of July
came, with its airless nights, its cloudless mornings, and its sultry
days.
On the fifteenth of the month, an event happened which took every
one but Norah by surprise. For the second time, without the slightest
apparent reason--for the second time, without a word of warning
beforehand--Frank suddenly re-appeared at his father's cottage.
Mr. Clare's lips opened to hail his son's return, in the old character
of the "bad shilling"; and closed again without uttering a word. There
was a portentous composure in Frank's manner which showed that he had
other news to communicate than the news of his dismissal. He answered
his father's sardonic look of inquiry by at once explaining that a very
important proposal for his future benefit had been made to him, that
morning, at the office.
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