"It is not that," began Molly; but Lady Harriet made her a little
sign to be silent while she herself spoke.
"Now, Clare! you and I can manage it all, I think, if you will but
help me in a plan I've got in my head. Mr. Gibson shall stay as long
as ever he can in London; and Molly shall be well cared for, and have
some change of air and scene too, which is really what she needs
as much as anything, in my poor opinion. I can't spirit her to the
wedding and give her a sight of London; but I can carry her off to
the Towers, and nurse her myself; and send daily bulletins up to
London, so that Mr. Gibson may feel quite at ease, and stay with you
as long as you like. What do you say to it, Clare?"
"Oh, I could not go," said Molly; "I should only be a trouble to
everybody."
"Nobody asked you for your opinion, little one. If we wise elders
decide that you are to go, you must submit in silence."
Meanwhile Mrs. Gibson was rapidly balancing advantages and
disadvantages. Amongst the latter, jealousy came in predominant.
Amongst the former,--it would sound well; Maria could then accompany
Cynthia and herself as "their maid;" Mr. Gibson would stay longer
with her, and it was always desirable to have a man at her beck and
call in such a place as London; besides that, this identical man was
gentlemanly and good-looking, and a favourite with her prosperous
brother-in-law. The "ayes" had it.
"What a charming plan! I cannot think of anything kinder or
pleasanter for this poor darling. Only--what will Lady Cumnor say? I
am modest for my family as much as for myself. She won't--"
"You know mamma's sense of hospitality is never more gratified than
when the house is quite full; and papa is just like her. Besides, she
is fond of you, and grateful to our good Mr. Gibson, and will be fond
of you, little one, when she knows you as I do."
Molly's heart sank within her at the prospect. Except on the one
evening of her father's wedding-day, she had never even seen the
outside of the Towers since that unlucky day in her childhood
when she had fallen asleep on Clare's bed. She had a dread of the
countess, a dislike to the house; only it seemed as if it was a
solution to the problem of what to do with her, which had been
perplexing every one all morning, and so evidently that it had
caused her much distress. She kept silence, though her lips quivered
from time to time. Oh, if Miss Brownings had not chosen this very
time of all others to pay their monthly visit to Miss Hornblower!
If she could only have gone there, and lived with them in their
quaint, quiet, primitive way, instead of having to listen, without
remonstrance, to hearing plans discussed about her, as if she was an
inanimate chattel!