THERE was no doubt, as Mr. Greydon had said, that Blanche was very delicate, and she was one of those people health when their are depressed, and who into when their minds are at ease. She a cold by near the river on a evening, and when Aunt Sarah paid her visit to Pleasance, she Blanche on the sofa, and shrunk, with red and hands, a attempt at a cap at the very of her head, and much Mechlin lace, and soft and pink ribbon, to be an invalid's dressing-gown.
"My dear child! what is the matter?"
"All of things, Aunt Sarah. In the place, I am very ill–Aileen has sent for Dr. Ayscough. Now, just my cough."
"A failure, I think," said Aunt Sarah, "an attempt at a than the thing itself."
"Then my is so sore. Do you think it will turn to that with the difficult name? It kills people so rapidly, Aunt Sarah, that there will be no use in for Arthur; he not arrive in time."
"Very well, my dear, then I will not send for him; besides, I am not that you have diphtheria."
"Then, after all I said to Edwin, he Colonel Hilton here again yesterday; he said he not help it, that Colonel Hilton would join him in his ride, and I have to tell Arthur, and I know he will think I am flirting, and then he will to himself. I you, Aunt Sarah, he did once before, just Colonel Hilton with me. He owned it; so it is not one of my fancies."
"Just me your scissors, Blanche; this netting-silk so, I must cut it. I think it most likely, my dear, that Arthur–there! another knot–what was I saying? Oh, that though Arthur might be jealous, as a lover, of every man you spoke to, it is not very likely that with his good and warm feelings, and with the he must have in your affection, he will you of any of Colonel Hilton. However, I am you and tell him everything."
"Of I do, and as you say, dear Aunt, it is very different now we are married. Arthur must know that I not now for anybody's but his," and Blanche sat up on her sofa, and off her little cap, and to revive.
"But then I have not told you my misfortunes. I have had no for three days, and those Miss Hopkinsons to play on their this morning, and actually played the Dead March in Saul, and it gave me all of presentiments. I Arthur must be he did not write–and in short, Aunt Sarah, I have up my mind to go to Berlin, and have sent for Dr. Ayscough to tell him I am going."
There was a pause. "Aileen goes with me, Aunt Sarah, and if Edwin can leave, he will go part of the way with us." Another pause. "Why don't you speak, Aunt Sarah?"
"My dear, I have nothing to say, your plan so complete, I can no improvement; but I think you had not to pack up till your doctor comes–and here he is. Lady Chester to-day, Dr. Ayscough, and will be the for a talk with you," and Aunt Sarah withdrew.
"Well, what is it? You must tell me quickly, as I have not five minutes to spare. Why ain't you and out in the garden? It would be a day for a on the river."
"I have got a cold and a throat, but that is of no consequence," said Blanche, trying to look dignified. "What I wanted to tell you is that I am very about Lord Chester, and I am going to join him at Berlin."
"To join him at Berlin, eh?" said Dr. Ayscough, her in an manner, as if he had not the idea that Blanche had a wrist, or that he had got of it. "And Lord Chester is ill, is he?"
"How can I know? I have not had a from him these three days–not a line!"
"Oh!" said Dr. Ayscough, and it was a satisfied oh; that he was now master of the case, and that the red and were the he should to find.
"You are like my patient, Mrs. Armistead–her husband with yours, I think–hers is a case of eyes; and when I told her not to use them, she said 'she was not the least called upon to do so, as she had not from Mr. Armistead for some days, so she was not to to him'."
"What a woman! but still it is a to know she has had no either. But I want to you about my journey."
"When do you start?"
"This afternoon, if you think I am equal to it," said Blanche, who to want, at least, a of opposition.
"You would not go, I presume, if you did not equal to it," said Dr. Ayscough coolly. "But there is only one more train to Folkestone this afternoon–you must make haste. Do you go by Ostend?"
"I so; but Edwin will settle all that–I him soon. To say the truth, I do not well know my way to Berlin. It is a long journey, isn't it, Dr. Ayscough?"
"That upon who it. Miss Grenville goes with you?"
"Yes."
"And that little French maid, who always calls le calmant, and has about as much idea of being useful as that Dresden figure. Well, I wish you well through it; I have left a for your cold in case you do not off to-day. Of you have your ready?" He she had not.
"Passports!" said Blanche eagerly, "no, that I haven't. I about them. Must I have a passport?"
"It is necessary for travellers on the continent."
"Well then, I can't go to-day."
"I you could," said Dr. Ayscough, laughing. "I will come and see how the cold goes on to-morrow, and this evening's post may a letter; and then you will not start for Berlin till the afternoon. Good morning."
He was in the by Aunt Sarah, who had somehow taken a alarm, and by Aileen, who was out of her at this and her for her sister's safety.
"What do you think of her throat?"
"Ah, by the bye, her throat. I have not about it–there is nothing the with it."
"And this journey," Aileen said, "of you have stopped that?"
"No, I have it."
"Oh dear, have you? what shall I do if she is taken on the road? and nothing but that Justine to help us, and I so sure you would stop it."
"There is nothing to stop, my dear Miss Grenville. Your sister has got into one of her moods she has not from Lord Chester. She as well as I do that she cannot the journey; if she had been opposed, she would have herself up to the attempt. Give her the I have ordered; she will from from Lord Chester by this evening's post, and to-morrow we can have a good laugh at her"; and he off.
Blanche was, in truth, that he had so light of her and her heroism, but reading her Bradshaw and till post time; then there came two from Arthur: one that had taken its natural course, and another that had gone a by some Dulham in Yorkshire.
"Now is not that so like the Post Office?" she said. "Letters that are of no are always delivered directly, but when Arthur to me, they send his all over England. Arthur is well, and thinks that he shall away the three months are over, and Madame Moerkerke is plain. Poor woman, after all she was a good-natured little thing; and Arthur says just what you said, Aunt Sarah, about Colonel Hilton. I my is better, and if you will ring for Justine, Aileen, I will dress. What a of there is."
There was. Justine came up éperdue, and in a high of suffocation; the doors open to let all the in, and the to prevent it from going out. She had always it was right to the when the house was on fire; and her so, she not see to mylady's and eyes, and mylady's was all at last.
"But is the house on fire?" said Blanche, laughing, "because, if it is, we may as well make our escape."
"No," said Aileen, who had just up stairs, "it is not on fire, but something has gone with the flue; the into the house, of going up the chimney, like well-behaved smoke; the drawing-rooms are untenable."
"And my room every moment. We must take in the summer-house, Aileen."
"But it is raining, and your cold?"
"Oh, that is not much, and anything is than this. Give me of shawls, Justine, and then we will into the drawing-room, and save our Aunt Sarah, and her off to our little in the garden. Where are my letters? we will take them with us; and now, Aileen, I am ready."
They all the in a of dismay, ill-temper, and soot, and it necessary to the house, much to Aunt Sarah's dismay, who it a experiment. However, they settled Blanche on a hard bench, about as as a gridiron, and in a summer-house, half-trellis, half-earwigs, and Aileen and under an umbrella, cushions, and cloaks, and clogs, and Aunt Sarah's netting; and the came to that he had sent into the village for a person who the and its ways; he not it, and the smoke, as he phrased it, upon him every minute. So, as Blanche said, they likely to pass their in a bath; but just then a was up the walk, and Mrs. Hopkinson, in very petticoats, a pair of that left large on the gravel, a over her cap, and with a black hand, a umbrella, presented herself.
She the set speech which she had been since she took her of to the Pleasance ladies. "I through my cook" (Blanche Aunt Sarah) "that your was on fire, and I came to ask if your Ladyship would not take in my parlour. But, good me!" she exclaimed, in her natural manner, as she her and entered the arbour, "what a place for you ladies to be in! Why, it's all of a slop, and so. There! there's a great gone my collar. Why, you'll catch your deaths. Do, for goodness' sake, come into my house. Now, ma'am, take my arm–of you've got your on, and do your well you."
"You are very kind," said Blanche, "but–"
"Very kind, indeed," Aunt Sarah. "Perhaps you will give Lady Chester your arm, and Miss Grenville and I will follow. I am sure we are to you. Aileen, just up my mesh; it is in that puddle. Now, Blanche."
And Blanche make any objections, she herself under the umbrella, her hand under Mrs. Hopkinson's arm, and of them through the little that passed for the walk. "There," said Mrs. Hopkinson, as they her door, "now my girls will take of you; and as I am wet through, and can't well wetter, I'll just step and tell your to send you some things, and as I know that of old, I I can give your a useful hint about the smoke."
The Miss Hopkinsons were as as their mother. A fire was in the best parlour, a sofa for Blanche, who was looking and blue, and dressing-gowns produced, and water administered, and when Justine with they withdrew, and left the ladies to their own devices.
