The Grey Lady

, avoid the unfortuna

the two boys, for they came forward shyly, overawed by the consciousness of their own boo

, suddenly softened despite herself by the sight of t

" is all nonsense. She looked upon existence here below as a series of contracts entered into with one's neighbour for purposes of mutual enjoyment or advantage. She thought that life could be put down in black and white. Which was a mistake. She had

was a man connected with Mrs. Harrington's life, one of the contractors in black and white, who had found out this effect of a brown face and a blue coat upon a wom

ardly with Mrs. Ingham-Baker, and drifted together again with that vague physical attraction which seems to qualify twins for double harness on th

she only allowed herself, as it were, to go--to call Luke to her and comfort him and sympathise with him--it would have altered every life in that room, and others outside

said Mrs. Harrington in her hardest voice. When she spoke in

e brink of some danger, and he wished to warn her. The peculiar twist in Luke's lips became

, the other pays it away to gratify her love of power. Of the Honourable

ely. I was in no way bound to do so. I took charge of you at your father's death because I--because he was a true

silk, proudly conscious of injured virtue, fu

a simple intrepidity which rather sp

are not clever--I know that; but you have managed to get into the Navy, where your father was before you, and your

n a dangerous voice, which trite

ity. "I have shown no favour; I have treated you alike. It had

ips, listening eagerly. The Honourable Mrs. Harrington allowed herself the plebeian pleas

directly, "any reason to offer for your f

end of his tether. But she had always been surrounded - as such women are--by men, and more especially by women, who would swallow any insult,

her sarcastic tones. "Luke is a better sailor than I am. But he a

ll turned on stupidity

d Fitz; "Luke isn't. Luke is c

aid Mrs. Harrington. "My own common sense t

ow when he's down," said Luke, wi

nt, and that soft-hearted lady deemed it expedient to turn

event she had most desired. It is to be presumed that her heart was like her physical self, a large, unwieldy thing, over which she had not a proper control. The organ mentioned had a way of trippin

that. She merely wondered, which means that she cherished a question until it grew into a grievance. The end of it she knew would be a quarrel. This might not come until the FitzHenrys should have grown to man's estate and man's p

providentially brought about by an astronomical examination-paper, Mrs. Ingha

ter been in the room, Mrs. Ingham-Baker's motherly instinct would have narrowed itself down to her. But in the absence o

looked out of the window, and pretended not to notice that the culprit had addressed his remark to her. To co

chose to ignor

sweetly, "what do yo

ly the boy t

ou. If half-a-crown would save me, I would rather die than borrow it from you. You think that you can

hood which comes of sorrow--pulled himself up, and walked to the door. He o

elf. Passionate--quick to love, to hate, to suffer; deep in his feeling, suscept

or closed behind him. She had always been abl

the door before her voice ar

He thought that he would find Luke upstairs on the bed with his face buried in

red hotly. "It is bad enough being ploughed

nd sit beside me. We will leave Luke to himself for a

emeanour, voice, or being that appealed to

e, and modestly disclaiming any credit to himself for having succeeded where his brother failed. But all the while the boy was restless, eager to get away

st he

o now?"

ke to me until he is prepared to apolo

ham-Baker almost before the door was closed.

s. Harrington, wit

ham-Baker. "I shall die quite happy if my A

d at her voluminous fr

ok like dying

her head on one side

d. "It is a great responsibili

een of Agatha, that the child is quit

helpless in the world, and when I am gone I should feel happier if I kn

ol of feminine learning, the vague theology unde

rs on the arm of her chair, and waited with a queer

ine snare, "a naval man can scarcely marry. They are always so badly off. I sup

ngton, with a gleam in her hard grey eyes,

out, "I am sure I should be content for her to live very quietly if I only knew

answered Mrs. Harrington, and at the

" he cried, "

lady of the house coldly

ot know where he went to! It is all your fault, Aunt Marian; you had no righ

ere and listen to me. Luke has behaved very badly. He has been idle and

nd, and she dropped it suddenly, as

er time. Luke is sure to come back. If he is not back by the time we have finished dinner I wil

anxiety, she forgot herself so m

to manage Luke in my own way. I know best. Just go a

did not c