"
"I didn't know you corresponded with her," cried the dowager, her tones
rather shrill.
"Not correspond with Miss Ashton!" he repeated. "Of course I do."
The old dowager had a fit of choking: something had gone the wrong way,
she said. Lord Hartledon resumed.
"It is an awful shame of those seaside lodging-house people! Did you hear
the particulars, Maude? After the Ashtons concluded their visit in Wales,
they went for a fortnight to the seaside, on their way home, taking
lodgings. Some days after they had been settled in the rooms they
discovered that some fever was in the house; a family who occupied
another set of apartments being ill with it, and had been ill before the
Ashtons went in. Dr. Ashton told the landlady what he thought of her
conduct, and then they left the house for home. But Mrs. Ashton's maid,
Matilda, had already taken it."
"Did Miss Ashton give you these particulars?" asked Maude, toying with a
late rose that lay beside her plate.
"Yes. I should feel inclined to prosecute the woman, were I Dr. Ashton,
for having been so wickedly inconsiderate. But I hope Matilda is better,
and that the alarm will end with her. It is four days since I had Anne's
letter."
"Then, Lord Hartledon, I can tell you the alarm's worse, and another has
taken it, and the parish is up in arms," said the countess-dowager,
tartly. "It has proved to be fever of a most malignant type, and not a
soul but Hillary the surgeon goes near the Rectory, You must not venture
within half-a-mile of it.
Pages:
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201