“Now, Maria, Mr Leigh does not want to hear all our family history.”
“And I’m not going to tell it to him, my dear; but it’s just as I felt. It was only last night, when she had that fit of hysterical sobbing, I said to myself, Now if I had a dozen girls – as I should have liked to, instead of a boy, who is really a terrible trial to one, Mr Leigh – I should – ”
“Maria!”
“Yes, my dear; but you should let me finish. If poor dear Kate had come here and found a lot of girls she would have been as happy as the day is long. – And you don’t think she wants physic, Mr Leigh? No, no, don’t hurry away.”
“I have given you my opinion, madam,” said Leigh, who had risen.
“Yes, and I’m sure it is right. I did give her some fluid magnesia yesterday, the same as I take for my acidity – ”
“Woman, will you hold your tongue!” cried Wilton.
“No, James, certainly not. It is my duty, as poor Kate’s aunt, to do what is best for her; and you should not speak to me like that before a stranger. I don’t know what he will think. The fluid magnesia would not do her any harm, would it, Mr Leigh?”
“Not the slightest, madam; and I feel sure that with a little motherly attention and such a course of change as I prescribed, Miss Wilton will soon be well.”
“There, James, we must have the Morrison girls to stay here with her. They are musical and – ”
“We shall have nothing of the kind, Maria,” said her husband, with asperity.
“Well, I know you don’t like them, my dear, but in a case of urgency – by the way, Mr Leigh, someone told me your sister played exquisitely on the organ last Sunday because the organist was ill.”
“My sister does play,” said Leigh, coldly.
“I wish I had been at church to hear her, but my poor Claud had such a bad bilious headache I was nearly sending for you, and I had to stay at home and nurse him. I’m sure the cooking must be very bad at those cricket match dinners.”
“Now, my dear Maria, you are keeping Mr Leigh.”
“Oh, no, my dear, he was sent for to give us his advice, and I’m sure it is very valuable. By the way, Mr Leigh, why has not your sister called here?”
“I – er – really – my professional duties have left me little time for etiquette, madam, but I was under the impression that the first call should be to the new-comer.”
“Why, of course. Do sit down, James. You are only kicking the dust out of this horrid thick Turkey carpet – they are such a job to move and get beaten, Mr Leigh. Do sit down, dear; you know how it fidgets me when you will jump up and down like a wild beast in a cage.”
“Waffle!” said Mr Wilton aside.
“You are quite right, Mr Leigh; I ought to have called, but Claud does take up so much of my time. But I will call to-morrow, and then you two come up here the next day and dine with us, and I feel sure that our poor dear Kate will be quite pleased to know your sister. Tell her – no; I’ll ask her to bring some music. She seems very nice, and young girls do always get on so well together. I know she’ll do my niece a deal of good. But, of course, you will come again to-day, and keep on seeing her as much as you think necessary.”
“Really I – ” said Leigh, hesitating, and glancing resentfully at the master of the house.
“Oh, yes, come on, Mr Leigh, and put my niece right as soon as you can,” he said.
“But your regular medical attendant – Mr Rainsford, I believe?”
“You may believe he’s a pig-headed, obstinate old fool,” growled Wilton. “Wanted to take off my leg when I had a fall at a hedge, and the horse rolled over it. Simple fracture, sir; and swore it would mortify. I mortified him.”
“Yes, Mr Leigh, and the leg’s stronger now than the other,” interposed Mrs Wilton.
“How do you know, Maria?” said her husband gruffly.
“Well, my dear, you’ve often said so.”
“Humph! Come in again and see Miss Wilton, Doctor, and I shall feel obliged,” said the uncle. “Good morning. The dog-cart is waiting to drive you back. I’ll send and have you fetched about – er – four?”
“It would be better if it were left till seven or eight, unless, of course, there is need.”
“Eight o’clock, then,” said Wilton; and Pierce Leigh bowed and left the room, with the peculiar sensation growing once more in his breast, and lasting till he reached home, thinking of how long it would be before eight o’clock arrived.
Chapter Five
“I should very much like to know what particular sin I have committed that I should have been plagued all my life with a stupid, garrulous old woman for a wife, who cannot be left an hour without putting her foot in it some way or another.”
“Ah, you did not say so to me once, James,” sighed Mrs Wilton.
“No, a good many hundred times. It’s really horrible.”
“But James – ”
“There, do hold your tongue – if you can, woman. First you get inviting that young ruffian of John Garstang’s to stay when he comes down.”
“But, my dear, it was Claud. You know how friendly those two always have been.”
“Yes, to my sorrow; but you coaxed him to stay.”
“Really, my dear, I could not help it without being rude.”
“Then why weren’t you rude? Do you want him here, fooling about that girl till she thinks he loves her and marries him?”
“Oh, no, dear, it would be horrid. But you don’t think – ”
“Yes, I do, fortunately,” snapped Wilton. “Why don’t you think?”
“I do try to, my dear.”
“Bah! Try! Then you want to bring in those locusts of Morrisons. It’s bad enough to know that the money goes there if Kate dies, without having them hanging about and wanting her to go.”
“I’m very, very sorry, James. I wish I was as clever as you.”
“So do I. Then, as soon as you are checked in that, you dodge round and invite that Doctor, who’s a deuced sight too good-looking, to come again, and ask him to bring his sister.”
“But, my dear, it will do Kate so much good, and she really seems very nice.”
“Nice, indeed! I wish you were. I believe you are half mad.”
“Really, James, you are too bad, but I won’t resent it, for I want to go up to Kate; but if someone here is mad, it is not I.”
“Yes, it is. Like a weak fool I spoke plainly to you about my plans.”
“If you had always done so we should have been better off and not had to worry about getting John Garstang’s advice, with his advances and interests, and mortgages and foreclosures.”
“You talk about what you don’t understand, woman,” said Wilton, sharply. “Can’t you see that it is to our interest to keep the poor girl here? Do you want to toss her amongst a flock of vulture-like relatives, who will devour her?”
“Why, of course not, dear.”
“But you tried to.”
“I’m