Adeline had been her especial darling,
and cold as her manner had often been towards the others, it ever was
warm towards the motherless little one, whom she had tended and
cherished with most anxious care from her earliest infancy. She had
left her gentle, candid, and affectionate; a loving, engaging, little
creature, and how did she find her now? Her fair bright face
disfigured, her caresses affected, her mind turned to deceit and
prevarication! Well might Eleanor feel it more than ever painful to
leave her own little Henry to the care of others; and well it was for
her that she had learned to find comfort in the consciousness that
her duty was clear.
The next morning Emily learned what was Henry's destination.
'Oh! Eleanor,' said she, 'why do you not leave him here? We should
be so rejoiced to have him.'
'Thank you, I am afraid it is out of the question,' answered Eleanor,
quietly.
'Why, dear Eleanor? You know how glad we should be. I should have
thought,' proceeded Emily, a little hurt, 'that you would have wished
him to live in your own home.'
Eleanor did not speak, and Emily, who had the little boy in her arms,
went on talking to him: 'Come, baby, let us persuade mamma to let
you stay with Aunt Emily.
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