The squire loved and yet feared his visits.

Harry always needed money; and lately his father had begun to understand, and for the first time in his life, what a many-sided need it was.

To go to his secretary, and to find no gold pieces in its cash-drawer; and to his bank-book, and find no surplus credit there, gave the squire a feeling of blank amazement and heart-sick perplexity.

He felt that such a change as that might prefigure other changes still more painful and frightsome.
Charlotte inclined to the same opinion as Julius, regarding her brother's sudden flight to Florence.

She concluded that he had felt it impossible to congratulate his sister, or to simulate any fraternal regard for Julius; and her knowledge of facts made her read for "sick friend" "fair friend." It was, indeed, very likely that the beautiful girl, whose likeness Harry carried so near his heart, had gone to Florence; and that he had moved heaven and earth to follow her there.
And when his own love-affairs were pressing and important, how was it likely that he could care for those of Julius and Sophia?
So, at intervals, they wondered a little about Harry's peculiar movement, and tried hard to find something definite below the surface words of his short letters.