ARTHUR was gone. He his wife to Pleasance, and passed one day there with her, in order that he might her way of life while he was absent; and then departed, having promised positively not to with Madame Moerkerke.
"I will not as you make a point of it; but I cannot think why you are of that and woman, who has but the one of being well dressed."
"Oh, Arthur dear, that at L— House, where you to her, and spoke to me at all."
"Of I did not, for the of that day, when you let that Hilton by your for two hours, and talked to him all through dinner. I a to speak to you again, and, by the help of the Moerkerke, it for a whole evening. The next day, you know, I was to it, in order to tell you I not live without you."
Blanche the these gave her, when Arthur had left her, but still he was gone. She herself to sleep, and when she woke, and when Aileen arrived; and then Dr. Ayscough down, and gave her a regular scolding, and her she would her health and her if she so foolishly, and that he see nothing to about. Mrs. Ayscough had been in Wales with her mother all the summer, and he did not go about to all his patients; and he told Aileen to have a sofa out on the lawn, and make her sister pass the in the open air. Then Arthur's came, and after that considerably. There was the house to to Aileen, and the garden to investigate, and all of red and gold came up the river, with well-dressed people, looking as they in the sun. Aunt Sarah and one or two friends down, and Blanche her trees and river, and that Arthur was very lucky to have such a good appointment. But there Blanche her line, she that comfort. She had visitors the week, and Dulham Lane was, as Janet and Rose had hoped, much thereby.
But Mrs. Hopkinson sat with her to the window, to look at all the on that was by her door. She had that the plan of her would end in a her narrow staircase, so she had told her girls not to look out of the window, that Willis had to that the people next door were not at all creditable; and as Janet and Rose were in the of the world, and were always to Willis, and as they were particularly to know or skirts were the fashion, they this from their only point of observation. Charlie missed his in the garden, and the of Lady Chester had a over the Hopkinson circle.
When Sunday arrived, a fresh occurred. The Hopkinsons had been allowed to make use of the to Pleasance, and that was now by Lady Chester and her sister. The by the attempt to a seat for Mrs. Hopkinson, who was of large dimensions, Blanche to look up, and with natural good she opened her door, and to that lady to come in. She did so, and what with the of the day, and the of what Willis would say when he saw her next to a lady of character, who had a "fracaw in high life," she breathe. She herself in a of books and prayer books, sat close to the door, to through it at the of on the part of her companions, and it was only by of much that she was to through the service. She at the close of it the sisters had their devotions.
"That woman to the of the weather dreadfully," said Aileen.
"Yes, and I the of the woman, did not you? It was like having a put into the pew; but I am we were able to give her a seat, she looked in mind. What a good it was! I think we ought to make with the clergyman, but I do not know how to set about it."
"I to go to the school," said Aileen, "and I he takes of that," and so the sisters home. Mrs. Hopkinson had in the meantime to her and Willis, who had places in the gallery. She wait till they were out of the church she began. " Oh, dear me! I I had up to the with you, girls. Willis, where do you think I got a seat?"
"On one of the tombs, ma'am?" he asked.
"No, my dear, in the Pleasance pew, actually in the same with one of those who the fracaw. I was so uncomfortable, and they are so pretty, and what is odd, they were so to the service, took their off their prayer books, and they look so to be so wicked."
"I to tell you that my paper must have a mistake," said Mr. Willis in his and most tone. "I saw the Lady Chester and her sister drive by last Thursday and turn into the gate; she drives."
"And you have it was the wife since Thursday?" said Mrs. Hopkinson, stopping in her walk, and her son-in-law, "and told me; and there was I, actually in church, all of about those creatures, and all of you and your Weekly Lyre. If you that paper into the house, I will put it into the fire, I will, upon it," and she looked as if it were just possible that she might Willis up in the paper the commenced. He was almost frightened, his mother-in-law so upon him.
"I did not know you about it; it me, who can no longer take any in life, to see you so excited, and all for a woman who has herself from her husband."
"But we do not know that she has, it is only your paper that says so; and, indeed, if she has, it is Lord Chester's fault. I have always that when man and wife part, the husband is a brute. And to think how I behaved, and blowing, and going off at last without saying thank you, and all on account of the Weekly Lyre." The warm-hearted woman was vexed, the more so, that she did not see how any was to be made. However, her.
Lady Chester was up by the morning's exertion, so Aileen alone to the service, and her friend of the out of the house, by her daughters. They at the church door together, and then Aileen said, " If you are not provided with a seat, my sister is not to church, and there will be room in our for all your party." She was to see the in Mrs. Hopkinson's since the morning. Her good-humoured had its look; she was actually cool, though the was some higher than it had been, and her thanks were so that Aileen pleased to her little so much valued.
"Who do you think that lady was who sat with us this morning? " Aileen said, as she Blanche on the lawn.
"How can I possibly guess, dear? Somebody in mind, and very in body; but I have not an idea who she is."
"Neighbour Hopkinson," said Aileen quietly.
"You don't say so! now do a line to Aunt Sarah forthwith, and her to come and see my Semi-detachment, and judge for herself if I am imaginative. I said Mrs. Hopkinson would be fat, and so she is; you did not to see if she mittens, did you, Aileen?"
"I did not what she this evening; but I have a idea of a a in the morning."
"No, have you?" said Blanche joyfully. "Tell Aunt Sarah to come early, and for the whole day at least! there are two of my verified, and the girls will Partant la Syrie to-morrow."
"They are nice-looking girls," said Aileen, "and I do not think you would have the mother so this afternoon; and she looked so placid, I cannot think why she was so in the morning; however, it is no of ours, and now, Blanche, come in, the is falling."
Aunt Sarah arrived, and, the of size and mittens, that they in no way affect Blanche's daily comfort. While she was by the river with her nieces, a to the landing place, and Edwin Grenville's voice his sisters–"Can you give us some luncheon, Blanche? we are and tired."
"Then pray come and eat; but who are we? "
"Harcourt, and Grey, and Hilton."
"Hilton," Blanche. "Oh, Aunt Sarah, I wish Edwin would not him here, Arthur will be so angry."
"I cannot see why," said Aileen, hastily, and up to the eyes.
"You are much too to visits from Edwin's officers," said Aunt Sarah, "and so I shall tell him; and I can safely to make myself so to his friends that they will be to go away again."
But there Aunt Sarah was mistaken. All her and were by the men as excellent jokes, and when they away, Harcourt to Grey that "My Aunt was a old fellow," and that he she would be there next time they went. However, Blanche took the opportunity, when Aileen was walking by the river with three of the gentlemen, to tell her that though it had been a very party, and though she was always to see him, yet, perhaps, he had not his friends again. Arthur might not like it, he had a against Colonel Hilton.
"Oh, nonsense, Blanche! you must Arthur of prejudice; and the best of it is that it was Hilton who our landing here."
"Ah! that's just it," said Blanche.
"Just what?" said Edwin, "Why, Blanche, I the great good of your being married was that you a staid, for Aileen."
"Well, I am very staid, and and steady, as you would say of your groom; but you know I am only eighteen, Edwin, and Arthur is away, and all considered, you had come alone."
"Well! I such nonsense; did you, Aunt Sarah?"
"No, my dear, I think it is excellent sense, refreshing. I have said nothing myself, and as the has turned, you may as well go. Good-bye, Edwin, you have been lucky in your to-day; they to me to the way. Aileen, your friends good-bye, for we are going in, Blanche is tired."
And so they all dispersed, and Blanche said to her sister, "I am Aunt Sarah was here. I shall tell Arthur how it was, and that I had nothing to do with Colonel Hilton's here. The next thing will be that we shall of Arthur's with that Madame Moerkerke."
Aileen smiled, but no answer, though she was in such excellent the of the day that it was that she had no of Arthur or a rival.
