"What do you mean by not being particular about education? Most

people who keep governesses for their children are supposed to be

particular," said Lady Cuxhaven.

"Well, they think themselves so, I've no doubt; but I call you

particular, Mary, and I don't think mamma was; but she thought

herself so, I'm sure."

"I can't think what you mean, Harriet," said Lady Cumnor, a good deal

annoyed at this speech of her clever, heedless, youngest daughter.

"Oh dear, mamma, you did everything you could think of for us; but

you see you'd ever so many other engrossing interests, and Mary

hardly ever allows her love for her husband to interfere with her

all-absorbing care for the children. You gave us the best of masters

in every department, and Clare to dragonize and keep us up to

our preparation for them, as well as ever she could; but then you

know, or rather you didn't know, some of the masters admired our

very pretty governess, and there was a kind of respectable veiled

flirtation going on, which never came to anything, to be sure; and

then you were often so overwhelmed with your business as a great

lady--fashionable and benevolent, and all that sort of thing--that

you used to call Clare away from us at the most critical times of

our lessons, to write your notes, or add up your accounts, and the

consequence is, that I'm about the most ill-informed girl in London.

Only Mary was so capitally trained by good awkward Miss Benson, that

she is always full to overflowing with accurate knowledge, and her

glory is reflected upon me."

"Do you think what Harriet says is true, Mary?" asked Lady Cumnor,

rather anxiously.

"I was so little with Clare in the school-room. I used to read French

with her; she had a beautiful accent, I remember. Both Agnes and

Harriet were very fond of her. I used to be jealous for Miss Benson's

sake, and perhaps--" Lady Cuxhaven paused a minute--"that made me

fancy that she had a way of flattering and indulging them--not quite

conscientious, I used to think. But girls are severe judges, and

certainly she had had an anxious enough lifetime. I am always so glad

when we can have her, and give her a little pleasure. The only thing

that makes me uneasy now is the way in which she seems to send her

daughter away from her so much; we never can persuade her to bring

Cynthia with her when she comes to see us."

"Now that I call ill-natured," said Lady Harriet; "here is a poor

dear woman trying to earn her livelihood, first as a governess, and

what could she do with her daughter then, but send her to school? and

after that, when Clare is asked to go visiting, and is too modest

to bring her girl with her--besides all the expense of the journey,

and the rigging out--Mary finds fault with her for her modesty and

economy."




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