He called at Lidford House one day when Gilbert had told him he should
stay at home to write letters, and was duly presented to the Listers, who
made a little dinner-party in his honour a few days afterwards, to which
Captain Sedgewick and Marian were invited--a party which went off with
more brightness and gaiety than was wont to distinguish the Lidford House
entertainments. After this there was more boating--long afternoons spent
on the winding river, with occasional landings upon picturesque little
islands or wooded banks, where there were the wild-flowers Marian Nowell
loved and understood so well; more idle mornings in the cottage garden--a
happy innocent break in the common course of life, which seemed almost as
pleasant to John Saltram as to his friend. He had contrived to make
himself popular with every one at Lidford, and was an especial favourite
with Captain Sedgewick.
He seemed so thoroughly happy amongst them, and displayed such a perfect
sympathy with them in all things, that Gilbert Fenton was taken utterly
by surprise by his abrupt departure, which happened one day without a
word of warning. He had dined at the cottage on the previous evening, and
had been in his wildest, most reckless spirits--that mood to which he was
subject at rare intervals, and in which he exercised a potent fascination
over his companions.
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