Her father spent but a small portion
of his time at home; on the contrary, he rather sought to avoid the
fireside, which had once been so dear to him. His feelings, whatever
they might have been, were kept locked up within his own breast, yet
Winnie could read the look of sympathy which he bent upon her, as he
grasped her by the hand, ere he hurried away to banish painful
recollections by duties "on change." When difficulties, which Natalie
had foreseen, caused Winnie's heart to ache, she would school herself to
meet the injustice as she knew _she_ would have done; and the timely
advice of the Sea-flower proved to the lone girl a valuable legacy. She
had heard from Natalie, through the correspondence which for some time
she had kept up with our friend Harry Grosvenor, the which letters were
anticipated and perused with no common interest; indeed, her happiness,
scarcely realized by herself, was closely allied therewith. Mrs. Santon
looked upon these ever punctual letters, which appeared so frequently
among the post-boy's morning deposits, with an evil eye, yet they did
not serve to banish the schemes of her invention in regard to Mr.
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