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'What could its object be? asked the lawyer of his daughter. Surely, if Mrs Hardman require any legal business to be transacted, I am the proper person to accomplish it. Catherine was equally ignorant, and the mistress of Coote-down was evidently not inclined to enlighten her. The journey was commenced. 'I shall return in a fortnight, said Mrs Hardman.
She then removed to Coote-down, which had come into her possession, failing nearer heirs her father having been a cousin two degrees removed from the late Mr Hardman, senior. There she had lived on for years, without any attempt to improve the ruined property, and in the seclusion in which I saw her at my visit.
Extensive preparations were made for his reception: all the tenantry, not only of Coote-down, but those from the maternal estate near Ilfracombe, were invited to attend his debarkation at Dartmouth. The lawn, paddock, and parks were strewed with tents for their accommodation, and refreshments of the most expensive kind were provided without limit.
In one corner of this seat reclined a figure bent with age, her face concealed by a thick veil. In the other corner was an old cheerful-looking woman, busily knitting, and mumbling rather than singing a quaint old ballad. The mistress of Coote-down made a feeble attempt to rise when my cousin presented me; but I entreated her to keep her seat.
Such is the history of the 'Home-wreck, whose effects I witnessed in my visit to Coote-down. Since then, however, things have materially changed. A very short time ago, I received notice that the heroine of the above events had sunk into the grave, leaving most of her property to my cousin and fascinating cicerone, who is now happily married.
Despite all entreaties, however, Mrs Hardman refused to return to her husband's roof. Ten years passed, and she lived so completely in retirement, that she deprived herself even of the society of her child; for when the period of nursing was over, she sent him to Coote-down Hall, where he was educated.
That, however, remained to be seen. By the time Mrs Hardman arrived at Coote-down, a second letter, addressed to her, had come from her son. It was dated 'off Havre, and mentioned the probable time of his reappearance in England. The mother's joy was intense; yet the news had not fallen like a shock upon her, as upon Catherine.
Besides the disfigurement the disease had made in her countenance, grief had paled her complexion and hollowed her cheek. Yet she kept up her spirits, and was a source of unfailing consolation to Mrs Hardman, who gradually weaned her from her father's house to live entirely at Coote-down, where Dodbury also spent every hour he could spare from business.
All the old gaiety and pride of her disposition returned, and her first thoughts were expended on plans for once more receiving her son now, by right of inheritance, the possessor of Coote-down with a splendour to exceed that which welcomed him from France on attaining his majority. Nor was Catherine for a moment forgotten.
Having assisted her out of her saddle, I was about to utter some exclamation of surprise at the extreme dilapidation of the place, when she whispered me to be silent; adding, that I must not stir until she had returned from within, to announce whether my visit would be accepted or not. During her absence, I had full leisure to look around and note the desolate condition of Coote-down.
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