The Small House at Allington Chapter XIV - John Eames Takes a Walk

In which young John Eames, burdened by the complications of his affections and obligations, seeks solitude in the Guestwick woods to contemplate his uncertain future and the tangled ties that bind him. In his musings, he encounters the genial Earl of Crowborough, whose kindly familiarity and practical counsel offer a momentary respite from the young clerk's anxieties before he resolves to write a hesitant letter to his persistent correspondent.