I told that fool of a Kirton before he married her that she had no
constitution. I suppose you and Hart were finely disappointed to find I
was not in London when you got there."
"Agreeably disappointed, I think," said Maude, languidly.
"Indeed! It's civil of you to say so."
"On account of the smallness of the house," added Maude, endeavouring to
be polite. "We hardly knew how to manage in it ourselves."
"You wrote me word to take it. As to me, I can accommodate myself to any
space. Where there's plenty of room, I take plenty; where there's not, I
can put up with a closet. I have made Mirrable give me my old rooms here:
you of course take Hart's now."
"I am very tired," said Maude. "I think I will have some tea, and go to
bed."
"Tea!" shrieked the dowager. "I have not yet had dinner. And it's
waiting; that's more."
"You can dine without me, mamma," she said, walking upstairs to the new
rooms. The dowager stared, and followed her. There was an indescribable
something in Maude's manner that she did not like; it spoke of incipient
rebellion, of an influence that had been, but was now thrown off. If she
lost caste once, with Maude, she knew that she lost it for ever.
"You could surely take a little dinner, Maude. You must keep up your
strength, you know."
"Not any dinner, thank you. I shall be all right to-morrow, when I've
slept off my fatigue.
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