Mortomley's Estate, Vol. III (of 3)

membered, at least sufficiently warm to render Londoners who had to remain in town extremely impatient of their captivity, and to induce

believed, a series of unprecedented misfortunes compelled them, one and all, to ask for outstanding accounts and to request the return of such small amounts of money as in moments of mental aberration they had bee

ed all trades-touched all ranks. People were not rich enough to be ill, they could not afford to die, and so

a faint attempt at humour assured his visitors, while Mr. Asherill declared

tain to hear the vine and the olives had been transplanted temporarily to some easily accessible resting-place, to which the husband and father d

would have met him an hour after, takin

rs. Dean was, therefore, at Scarborough with some E

cousin, proposed taking up his residence at the family seat. If this resolution were carried out, Mrs. Trebasson inten

sit to the old place, and Mr. Werner had begged her not to hurry back, as "he could do very well wit

his wife, they were

re the dells are in the sweet spring time carpeted with violets, blue and white, that load the air with perfume-where rabbits scud away through copses starred with primroses-where jays plume their brilliant feathers in the golden sunshine-where squirrels look with b

ut only a poor scrap of a cottage architecturally considered-a labourer's cottage ori

sloped down to the highway at a sharp angle. On one side was a large orchard, which wen

n one of the woods I have mentioned, which formed a background for t

ought might suit to let in this locality, and so c

irable, and Dolly wore herself out wandering about interm

and American currant alone decked the modest flower-gardens-when nature, in a word, had not yet de

wthorn was in bloom, and the roses climbing over the rustic porches,

nd love, and she felt like a child disappointed of a new toy while wendi

s she drew near the co

g over the gate and picturing the place with grass close under the window, with a few evergreens planted against the pal

e to the door and looked down th

lace," said Dolly apologetically.

he gate on hearing these wo

n full blow, and the trees in full leaf. I tell my master we

spoken, she could not tell whether the woman meant she and her husban

o trouble to give me a glass of water. I have

cited that Mrs. Mortomley had come all the way from London, that she had walked miles, that she had been to look at Hughes's house, and that neither bite nor sup had passed her l

heavy as lead, to quote poor Hood; what though the tea was "mashed" till it was black in the face; what though the sugar was

terwards, drank hers out of a saucer, the two women got into a friendly conversation, and the elder told the younger how she and her master were going to America to their only son, who, after being "awf

ld story of the prodigal r

ents. Abroad he repented him of his evil doings, and work

now was that his father and mother should make their home

its of furniture. The house we could get rid of fast enough, but no one wants th

ey offer?"

d stool in the hous

think they ought to

e, and sty and woodshed, all of which he builded with his own hands; but there's a sight of counting in that money, and people like us have

face aside, and l

nt of this plac

p place at the money, for there's a fine big garden and that orchard you see, and i

ms have you?"

m for storing things, and there is this house; we call the front room 'the house' in thes

entreated, "I should l

of a muddle?" answered the other, as s

at the chest of drawers bees-waxed till she saw her own reflection in them better than in the looking-glass, off which half the quicksilver had peeled; at the p

house off your hands, and your furniture, and your crops, at your own price; I have not so much money with me, but I will leave you wh

!" repeated

y from London for a short time. We cannot afford to take a large house. We can make t

rite," was

ess, and your husband can s

schollard nor me,

he whilom prodigal? Not to be able to send a line, without that line being indited by other fingers, seen by other eyes; not to be ab

n over. "Here are three pounds ten shillings, and perhaps you can get some of your neighbours to send me a line, saying wh

f the poor old father, who, not wishing to cross his wife, and not wanting to leave England, had put wha

his wife's breathless revelation. "But it is nought less nor a miracle-what parson tells us a Sundays ain

d; indeed, regarding Dolly's visit as he did, it is probable he imagined some ju

whole house was whitewashed, papered, and painted, in ten days. Dogs took the place of the old-fashioned rickety grate, the outer door was taken off its hinges, and a new one, the upper part of which was of glass, put in its place. A modest porch of trellis-work shaded this

k his will as to cost of material and price of labour, and the amount of improvement to be effected, it may se

the sovereigns still remaining, she felt she had exceeded the original estimate it was her intention to adhere to

om the treasury at Salisbury House, for his attendance at Mr.

money he borrowed, but adde

any with Mr. Althorpe, a young gentleman possessed of plenty of money and no brains to speak of. He pays all my expenses, and gives me a hand

rted, who crossed the threshold of the new home, and to whom

he Lee, winding away through pleasant meadows. "It is really a marvellous little nest to have constructed

those who love him best cannot give him. I shall have to tell him, Rupert; I feel that, whether ill or well, it is time he took his share of the burden with me. The sooner he knows, the sooner he wi

th, the change from which she had anticipated such go

ible for them until her husband's health should be re-established, and the sight of his ill-conceal

t realised the full change in his circumstances when he left Homewood, or when he struggled back to consciousness from long illness at Upper Clapton; not when he had to attend at Mr. Swanland's offices; not when the Thames Street warehouse was closed, and one of his own clerks started a feeble business there on the strength of his late employer's nam

nd," Rupert said in reply to Dolly's last sentence;

y shook

in if her husband only knew the worst, he would nerve himself to

and then like a coward put off doing so til

propose remaining in t

I think the walks about are lovely, and the air

on grow very tired of. I must honestly confess I

at, don't," s

true why should I no

nd on his shoulder, "I am afraid you will have to stay

s, and turned so that

t of your money. Mr. Daniells is in London I know, and the matter now ought to be put right.

d then stopped, hesitating

ear, out with it; the trouble will not seem half so gre

except just a very, very little; beca

your fortun

she answered, determined he

rarely gave vent to any vehemence of feeling. "What a fool I have been! what a wicked, short-sig

d down and

s afraid, but I am not afraid now; if only you will be content and brav

alking to the door flung it open, and sto

ble and began turning over her tapes and cottons with re

rash, and Mortomley was lying on the matti