On the next day Mountjoy heard news of Iris, which was not of a nature

to relieve his anxieties. He received a visit from Fanny Mere.

The leave-taking of Mr. Vimpany, on the previous evening, was the first

event which the maid had to relate. She had been present when the

doctor said good-bye to the master and mistress. Business in London was

the reason he gave for going away. The master had taken the excuse as

if he really believed in it, and seemed to be glad to get rid of his

friend. The mistress expressed her opinion that Mr. Vimpany's return to

London must have been brought about by an act of liberality on the part

of the most generous of living men. "Your friend has, as I believe,

got some money from my friend," she said to her husband. My lord had

looked at her very strangely when she spoke of Mr. Mountjoy in that

way, and had walked out of the room. As soon as his back was turned,

Fanny had obtained leave of absence. She had carried out her intention

of watching the terminus, and had seen Mr. Vimpany take his place among

the passengers to London by the mail train.

Returning to the cottage, it was Fanny's duty to ascertain if her

services were required in her mistress's room.

On reaching the door, she had heard the voices of my lord and my lady,

and (as Mr. Mountjoy would perhaps be pleased to know) had been too

honourable to listen outside, on this occasion. She had at once gone

away, and had waited until she should be sent for. After a long

interval, the bell that summoned her had been rung. She had found the

mistress in a state of agitation, partly angry, and partly distressed;

and had ventured to ask if anything unpleasant had happened. No reply

was made to that inquiry. Fanny had silently performed the customary

duties of the night-toilet, in getting my lady ready for bed; they had

said good-night to each other and had said no more.

In the morning (that present morning), being again in attendance as

usual, the maid had found Lady Harry in a more indulgent frame of mind;

still troubled by anxieties, but willing to speak of them now.

She had begun by talking of Mr. Mountjoy: "I think you like him, Fanny: everybody likes him. You will be sorry to

hear that we have no prospect of seeing him again at the cottage."

There she had stopped; something that she had not said, yet, seemed to

be in her mind, and to trouble her. She was near to crying, poor soul,

but struggled against it. "I have no sister," she said, "and no friend

who might be like a sister to me. It isn't perhaps quite right to speak

of my sorrow to my maid. Still, there is something hard to bear in

having no kind heart near one--I mean, no other woman to speak to who

knows what women feel. It is so lonely here--oh, so lonely! I wonder

whether you understand me and pity me?" Never forgetting all that she

owed to her mistress--if she might say so without seeming to praise

herself--Fanny was truly sorry. It would have been a relief to her, if

she could have freely expressed her opinion that my lord must be to

blame, when my lady was in trouble. Being a man, he was by nature cruel

to women; the wisest thing his poor wife could do would be to expect

nothing from him. The maid was sorely tempted to offer a little good

advice to this effect; but she was afraid of her own remembrances, if

she encouraged them by speaking out boldly. It would be better to wait

for what the mistress might say next.




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