Madeleine had improved beyond all expectation under his hands.

Her violent temper now seldom appeared, and if it did, he was perfectly certain of his method of dealing with it.

Many a time he remembered with thankfulness his dear Bishop Sparre, from whom he had learnt so much, and whose fatherly kindness seemed to follow him wherever he went.
The nearer they approached the sea-shore, the broader grew the dark-blue line out to the westward, where the sea lay glittering in the sunshine.
Madeleine gazed and gazed, and thoughts of the past came surging up in her heart.
The plovers had their young, and followed after the carriage, swooping down in front of the horses with their well-known cry.

Larks in hundreds filled the air with their joyous warble, which went straight to her heart, and the breeze began to waft to her the fresh salt flavour of the sea.

There was something in it of seaweed, something of fish, but all was so wonderfully rich in recollection.