His wife! The longing to see her grew on him from day to day.

She was so near him, yet so far away--she was so fair, yet her beauty must all fade and die; it was not for him.
In time he began to think it strange that he had never heard anything of her.

He went about in the neighborhood, yet no one spoke of having seen her.

He never heard of her being at church, nor did he ever meet her on the high-road.

It was strange how completely a vail of silence and mystery had fallen over her.
When he had been some time at Beechgrove he received one morning a letter from the Earl of Mountdean, saying that he was in the neighborhood, and would like to call.