Wives and Daughters: An Every-Day Story
Page 7"We shall go back to town on Friday the 18th," said Lady Agnes, in a
consolatory tone.
"Ah, yes! as soon as we have got over the school visitors' affair.
But it is a week to that happy day."
"By the way!" said Mr. Gibson, availing himself of the good opening
thus presented, "I met my lord at the Cross-trees Farm yesterday, and
he was kind enough to ask my little daughter, who was with me, to be
one of the party here on Thursday; it would give the lassie great
pleasure, I believe." He paused for Lady Cumnor to speak.
"Oh, well! if my lord asked her, I suppose she must come, but I wish
be quite welcome; only, you see, he met a younger Miss Browning the
other day, of whose existence I had never heard."
"She visits at the school, mamma," said Lady Agnes.
"Well, perhaps she does; I never said she did not. I knew there was
one visitor of the name of Browning; I never knew there were two,
but, of course, as soon as Lord Cumnor heard there was another, he
must needs ask her; so the carriage will have to go backwards and
forwards four times now to fetch them all. So your daughter can come
quite easily, Mr. Gibson, and I shall be very glad to see her for
arrange it all with them; and mind you get Nanny well up to her work
next week."
Just as Mr. Gibson was going away, Lady Cumnor called after him, "Oh!
by-the-by, Clare is here; you remember Clare, don't you? She was a
patient of yours, long ago."
"Clare," he repeated, in a bewildered tone.
"Don't you recollect her? Miss Clare, our old governess," said Lady
Agnes. "About twelve or fourteen years ago, before Lady Cuxhaven was
married."
very pretty delicate girl. But I thought she was married!"
"Yes!" said Lady Cumnor. "She was a silly little thing, and did
not know when she was well off; we were all very fond of her, I'm
sure. She went and married a poor curate, and became a stupid Mrs.
Kirkpatrick; but we always kept on calling her 'Clare.' And now
he's dead, and left her a widow, and she is staying here; and we
are racking our brains to find out some way of helping her to a
livelihood without parting her from her child. She's somewhere about
the grounds, if you like to renew your acquaintance with her."