MRS. HOPKINSON was now from her on Blanche, to she had herself by her kindness, and who looked up to her as a of on the of in general, and this valuable in particular. As a proof that tact, which is only another name for of the of others, is with manner, it may be mentioned that Mrs. Hopkinson and the nurse without having had one dissension; and with an on the part of Mrs. Smith "that that good lady very well what she was about, and that, how Lady Chester was, and how little she about a nursery, it was a she had Mrs. Hopkinson to look after her."
Lord Chesterton had Blanche that, by a happy coincidence, the of Chesford, their own parish, had a very days after she had to him her for Mr. Greydon; and it was them that on the occasion of Albert Victor Chester's christening, Blanche should have the of announcing to Mr. Greydon his preferment.
She had now re-established herself on her sofa in the garden, and the old Pleasance were resumed. Janet and Rose were often asked to with her. Mr. Harcourt and his were again on the surface and about Rose; Mr. Greydon either had some for calling on Arthur, or called without any at all, the old one of "the fatality," and by his manner to Janet, Blanche was to the that, by Mr. Greydon this living, she should at once provide her village with an pastor, and pay off some of her of to the Hopkinson family.
The Sampsons to give their dinners, and their déjeuners, and it almost appeared as if the Court Journal a special Sampson correspondent, so were the paragraphs to the and doings, and and of the Baroness. The Baron was more and more than ever; but it is to be that the Baroness's guests more from her than she did, for she was either and dejected, or in a of high spirits, and she looked so that Rachel to her to have some medical advice.
"I cannot think what you mean," said her Aunt peevishly; "I am sure with all my parties and fêtes, and all the that me, it would be if I wanted to complain to a doctor; what do you me, Rachel?"
"That is what I want to know, Aunt Rebecca; you do not look well, and Dr. Ayscough–"
"Oh, don't talk to me of Dr. Ayscough, he is too trying, attaching the to any of my symptoms, nor, in fact, to anything I say."
"Well, Mr. Duckett is clever, and is close at hand, and he has been Lady Chester."
"Oh, thank you, I am not going to trust my health to a country apothecary. It is all very well for the Chesters, who are, I suppose, as as while Lord Chesterton lives. I think, with all our wealth, I might to see a physician."
"Can I to any one for you? those headaches–"
"I must beg, Rachel, you will not take these fancies. What can make me nervous? me, who am for high spirits!" the Baroness into tears, and almost hysterical.
Rachel all the remedies, and then in some flowers.
"Well," said the Baroness, "I must say you take coolly. Having on this attack, you might as well send for assistance. I you had and ask Dr. Ayscough to drive here, for I must be myself on Wednesday. That will be the last and the best of our parties," she said with a smile.
And so the physician was summoned, and was by the Baroness with all her graces, which were away upon him; but to-day he to study her looks with attention, and to her with patience.
"I have nothing to tell you, my dear Sir, just a little headache–you know what a I am, and I think the wind is in the East. I always an East wind jusqu' au doigts, and I have been my gaieties. I want rest, and of air. The Baron is taking a moor. Would the Highlands me?"
"Is the Baron of going soon?"
"Oh, almost immediately," she said with some hesitation. "He talks of making a to Scotland to see the place he it, and I am almost he will not be here to his friends next Wednesday–the 12th of August is near at hand."
"And so you are making for a start, eh? And Baron Sampson will give his friends the on Wednesday," and Dr. Ayscough the in his hand give a bound. "Well, I do not see that the would do you any harm, and of air and would do you good. You are nervous."
"No, I am not; I cannot think what to me of nerves. What upon earth can I have for being nervous?"
"That you must tell me," he said; "I can only the fact; and I am not to for the of you London ladies."
The Baroness was so at herself by this physician with the ladies of the day that she rallied; and, while Dr. Ayscough was her prescription, a little light talk on the of the Chesters–pitied them for the that the poverty, with which she to them, upon them–she Lady Chester sent for the village when she was taken ill, and for a nurse on the good offices of a Mrs. Hopkins, or some name of that kind, a neighbour. "To be sure, people are right not to into debt; but I cannot up with anything second myself, the Baron would not it from me, he always says, 'Nothing second for you, Baroness; money can buy, you can have, only let it be the best.'"
"Well, if money can a Mrs. Hopkinson," said Dr. Ayscough, dryly, "it can do more than I have supposed. Mrs. Hopkinson has been a valuable friend to Lady Chester, who and great for ten days; and now there are those girls to her and sing to her her convalescence. They must be for you, Baroness."
"Oh dear! I am much too a person for the Miss Hopkinsons to notice. Nothing but Duchesses and Viscountesses will satisfy them! I would have them out at my déjeuners, out of good nature. However, they are not talking of. Tell me some news, Dr. Ayscough–you always the last London reports."
"Unluckily, I have been out of town most part of the day, so I cannot give you any gossip. There are two more great in the city. I wonder where these will end."
"Two more!" said the Baroness, faintly; "do you their names? not that I should be much the if you told me," she added with a laugh. "The Baron is of all these speculators."
"Corban's house was one, I know."
The Baroness pale. "The other I forget, but I it was with the Corbans."
"Ah, ! Well, your time is so valuable, I must not you–in it was to trouble you, I am so well." She in her chair, almost fainting.
Dr. Ayscough waited a minutes, and then said kindly, "You have something on your mind." She her head, but her colour was livid, and the hand she out to him trembled.
"Would it be a to you to tell me what you apprehend? You cannot that your would be betrayed."
She looked at him, and the in her eyes; but she by a to herself, and, with a laugh that was more than her tears, she said, "This is too good ! what can I have? that we may have rain on Wednesday, and that all my may fail. Good morning–I it is to on you to our with your presence?"
"Quite impossible," he said. "Good morning.''
"I always that Baron a very rascal," was his as he got into the carriage, "and now I am sure of it. He will be off Wednesday, and she will it out to the last."
After the Doctor's departure, the Baroness told Rachel that he had laughed at the of her being nervous, and her perfectly of a to the Highlands, and that he had to her to take her airing. So, as she should be off to Scotland in a days, she of up to town, and her diamonds and at the banking house; and at the same time she give for packing up she might want at Lochingar. "I am the house is small for our establishment, and I almost doubt, my dear Rachel, you will be so well as we wish."
"Thank you, Aunt Rebecca, do not trouble about me; I have always to tell you that you this villa, I mean, as say, to set up for myself. I am much to you and to my uncle for–" Rachel hesitated, she that the very large for her her had more than saved her from any obligation, and she had met with no affection. However, she added, "for the home you have me, and now I must try what I can do for myself."
"And will such a very lady to her plans for the future? I should have I might have been consulted, si ce n'était la forme," said the Baroness, who, and to of a who was and than herself, and to speaking plain truths, was yet by the with which their was dissolved.
"I am of going to the sea-side in the instance. My old will be to pass the with me, and that little boy of Mr. Willis's is to try sea-bathing–so, if the Hopkinsons will let me have him, he will go too."
"Upon my word, this is to the Jacques, as you to my friend Mr. Willis. Well, nothing in this world me; but I must say that after being to the of Moses, with his and and air of fashion" (poor dear Moses, with his and appearance), "I can this of that man. Not that Moses is a marrying man. Don't go and that, and I am sure Willis is much too to the memory of his wife to think of a second, so you have no there."
"How !" said Rachel; "but it will be to on the and for either or of them.
'Suppose I upon the sea-beach now,
Mine arms thus, and mine with the wind,
Wild as the desert–and me–
Make all a desolation–See! See!
Aunt Rebecca,
A life of this picture.'"
Rachel that a good always the Baroness out of the field, and her of Aspasia's had the effect. The Baroness was into silence, and left the room saying, "Well, Moses is not likely to trouble you, at all events."
"No, I not, after what I said to him last week," said Rachel, who from her that his mother had him to her with proposals; and so they parted.
"Oh dear! how I am when I am with my uncle and aunt," Rachel, "thoroughly I may say, and yet when I am with those girls, or little Charlie, I can be as good as gold, and so that that can lead me; I do are more than measles."
