Summary

Soon after, he calls his butler—Mr. Higgins—to bring him some medicine. However, Higgins is out on an errand, so Coulson’s housekeeper—a widow named Mrs. Widdup—brings the medicine. Intoxicated by the weather of spring, Coulson finds himself suddenly falling in love with Widdup.

Coulson, in a roundabout way and with flowery language, begins to profess his love to Widdup, but she does not comprehend. Before Coulson can state the matter more directly, they are interrupted by Coulson’s adult daughter, Constantia.

Constantia, having overheard some of the conversation, does not like the idea of her father marrying Mrs. Widdup. Constantia devises a plan by which she seeks to cure her father of his sudden lovesickness.

Constantia meets with the man who delivers ice to Coulson’s house. Constantia asks the deliveryman to bring large amounts of ice every day...