He led her up to her own room, tried to soothe her,
and would not listen to a word till she should be
calm. After lying still for a little while,
she thought she had recovered, but the very word ‘Gilbert’
brought such an expression of anxiety and sternness
over his brow as overcame her again, and she could
not speak without so much emotion that he silenced
her; and finding that she could neither leave the
subject, nor mention it without violent agitation,
he said he would leave her for a little while, and
perhaps she might sleep, and then be better able to
speak to him. Still she held him, and begged
that he would say nothing to Gilbert till he had heard
her, and to pacify her he yielded, passed his promise,
and quitted her with a kiss.
There was a messenger at Fairmead Parsonage by sunrise
the next morning, and by twelve o’clock Mr.
and Mrs. Ferrars were at Willow Lawn.
Mr. Kendal’s grave brow and depressed manner
did not reassure Winifred as he met her in the hall,
although his words were, ’I hope she is doing
well.’
He said no more, for the drawing-room door was moving
to and fro, as if uneasy on the hinges, and as he
made a step towards it, it disclosed a lady with black
eyes and pinched features, whom he presented as ‘Miss
Meadows.’
’Well, now—I think—since
more efficient—since I leave Mrs. Kendal
to better—only pray tell her—my
love and my mother’s—if I could have
been of any use—or shall I remain?—could
I be of any service, Edmund?—I would not
intrude when—but in the house—if
I could be of any further use.’
‘Of none, thank you,’ said Mr. Kendal,
’unless you would be kind enough to take home
the girls.’
‘Oh, papa!’ cried Lucy, I’ve got
the keys. You wont be able to get on at all
without me. Sophy may go, but I could not be
spared.’
‘Let it be as you will,’ said Mr. Kendal;
’I only desire quiet, and that you should not
inconvenience Mrs. Ferrars.’
‘You will help me, will you not!’ said
Winifred, smiling, though she did not augur well from
this opening scene. ’May I go soon to
Albinia?’
‘Presently, I hope,’ said Mr. Kendal,
with an uneasy glance towards Miss Meadows, ’she
has seen no one as yet, and she is so determined that
you cannot come till after Christmas, that she does
not expect you.’
Miss Meadows began one of her tangled skeins of words,
the most tangible of which was excitement; and Mr.
Kendal, knowing by long experience that the only chance
of a conclusion was to let her run herself down, held
his tongue, and she finally departed.
Then he breathed more freely, and said he would go
and prepare Albinia to see her sister, desiring Lucy
to show Mrs. Ferrars to her room, and to take care
not to talk upon the stairs.
This, Lucy, who was in high glory, obeyed by walking
upon creaking tip-toe, apparently borrowed from her
aunt, and whispering at a wonderful rate about her
eagerness to see dear, dear mamma, and the darling
little brother.
