They went silently upstairs, and found the children were then in bed and
asleep. They were tired with sight-seeing, the nurse said apologetically,
curtseying to her new mistress.
The nurse withdrew, and they stood over the nursery fire, talking. Anne
could scarcely account for the extreme depression the event seemed to
have thrown upon her. Lord Hartledon quickly recovered his spirits,
vowing he should like to "serve out" the dowager.
"I was thankful for one thing, Val; that you did not betray anger to
them, poor little things. It would have made it worse."
"I was on the point of betraying something more than anger to Edward; but
the thought that I should be punishing him for another's fault checked
me. I wonder how we can get rid of her?"
"We must strive to please her while she stays."
"Please her!" he echoed. "Anne, my dear, that is stretching Christian
charity rather too far."
Anne smiled. "I am a clergyman's daughter, you know, Val."
"If she is wise, she'll abstain from offending you in my presence. I'm
not sure but I should lose command of myself, and send her off there and
then."
"I don't fear that. She was quite civil when we came up from dinner,
and--"
"As she generally is then. She takes her share of wine."
"And asked me if I would excuse her falling into a doze, for she never
felt well without it."
Anne was right.
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