"Helen cannot be so very ill," said Molly at length, "or Cynthia
would not want her pink muslin and daisy wreath."
"I don't see that that follows, I'm sure," replied Mrs. Gibson rather
sharply. "Helen would never be so selfish as to tie Cynthia to her
side, however ill she was. Indeed, I should not have felt that it
was my duty to let Cynthia go to London at all, if I had thought
she was to be perpetually exposed to the depressing atmosphere of
a sick-room. Besides, it must be so good for Helen to have Cynthia
coming in with bright pleasant accounts of the parties she has been
to--even if Cynthia disliked gaiety I should desire her to sacrifice
herself and go out as much as she could, for Helen's sake. My idea
of nursing is that one should not be always thinking of one's own
feelings and wishes, but doing those things which will most serve to
beguile the weary hours of an invalid. But then so few people have
had to consider the subject so deeply as I have done!"
Mrs. Gibson here thought fit to sigh before going on with Cynthia's
letter. As far as Molly could make any sense out of this rather
incoherent epistle, very incoherently read aloud to her, Cynthia was
really pleased, and glad to be of use and comfort to Helen, but at
the same time very ready to be easily persuaded into the perpetual
small gaieties which abounded in her uncle's house in London, even at
this dead season of the year. Mrs. Gibson came upon Mr. Henderson's
name once, and then went on with a running "um-um-um" to herself,
which sounded very mysterious, but which might as well have been
omitted, as all that Cynthia really said about him was, "Mr.
Henderson's mother has advised my aunt to consult a certain Dr.
Donaldson, who is said to be very clever in such cases as Helen's,
but my uncle is not sufficiently sure of the professional etiquette,
&c." Then there came a very affectionate, carefully worded message to
Molly,--implying a good deal more than was said of loving gratitude
for the trouble she had taken on Cynthia's behalf. And that was all;
and Molly went away a little depressed; she knew not why.
The operation on Lady Cumnor had been successfully performed, and in
a few days they hoped to bring her down to the Towers to recruit her
strength in the fresh country air. The case was one which interested
Mr. Gibson extremely, and in which his opinion had been proved to
be right, in opposition to that of one or two great names in London.
The consequence was that he was frequently consulted and referred to
during the progress of her recovery; and, as he had much to do in the
immediate circle of his Hollingford practice, as well as to write
thoughtful letters to his medical brethren in London, he found it
difficult to spare the three or four hours necessary to go over to
Hamley to see Osborne. He wrote to him, however, begging him to reply
immediately and detail his symptoms; and from the answer he received
he did not imagine that the case was immediately pressing. Osborne,
too, deprecated his coming over to Hamley for the express purpose
of seeing him. So the visit was deferred to that "more convenient
season" which is so often too late.