With his relatives on the father's side, after the one formal letter which she had requested should be written to Colonel Bruce announcing Captain Bruce's death, Helen evidently wished to keep up no acquaintance whatever--nay, more than wished; she was determined it should be so--with that quiet, resolute determination which was sometimes seen in every feature of her strong Scotch face, once so girlish, but it bore tokens of what she had gone through--of a battle from which no woman ever comes out unwounded or unscarred.
But, as before said, she was a mother, and wholly a mother, which blessed fact healed the young widow's heart better and sooner than any thing else could have done.

Besides, in her case, there was no suspense, no conflict of duties--all her duties were done.

Had they lasted after her child's birth the struggle might have been too hard; for mothers have responsibilities as well as wives, and when these conflict, as they do sometimes, God help her who has to choose between them! But Helen was saved this misfortune.

Providence had taken her destiny out of her own hands, and here she was, free as Helen Cardross of old, in exactly the same position, and going through the same simple round of daily cares and daily avocations which she had done as the minister's active and helpful daughter.
For as nothing else but the minister's daughter would she, for the present, be recognized at Cairnforth.

Lord Cairnforth's intentions toward herself or her son she insisted on keeping wholly secret, except, of course, as regarded that dear and good father.
"I may die," she said to the earl--"die before yourself; and if my boy grows up, you may not love him, or he may not deserve your love, in which case you must choose another heir.