"How vain," he sighed to himself, as the throbbing of his heart grew
less heavy and his thoughts ran clear. "I cannot so avoid this evil.
It will most surely find me out. Dear, dear child! How shall we ever
bear the parting!"
All day long Claire was in momentary dread of a visit or a
communication from Jasper. But none came. A like anxiety had been
suffered by his wife, and it showed itself in the pallor of her
cheeks, and the heavy, almost tearful, drooping of her eyelids.
The next day and the next passed, and yet nothing was heard from the
guardian. Now, the true guardians of the child began to breathe more
freely. A week elapsed, and all remained as before. Another week was
added; another and another. A month had gone by. And yet the days of
a succeeding month came and went, the child still remaining in her old
home.
Up to this time but brief allusions had been made by either Claire
or his wife to the subject first in their thoughts. They avoided it,
because each felt that the other would confirm, rather than allay,
fears already too well defined.
"It is strange," said Claire, as he sat alone with his wife one
evening, some three months subsequent to the twelfth birthday of
Fanny, "that we have heard nothing yet from Mr. Jasper."
Edith looked up quickly, and with a glance of inquiry, into his face;
but made no answer.
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