“And you have succeeded admirably. Nothing could be better than the effect of the lamplight on that marble group. Why, Mrs. Wilson, your taste is exquisite!”
“Oh, pray don’t give me credit for what I don’t possess! I should not have thought of such a thing. In fact, that group was quite a trouble to me, for I could not find a corner it fitted. It was Miss Heriton who suggested putting it there.”
“Who?” Mr. Aylwinne’s voice took such a startled tone that a shiver ran through the frame of the listening Florence, and involuntarily she retreated still farther from the speakers.
“Miss Heriton—Florence Heriton. Is it not a pretty name? I must tell you”—Mrs. Wilson chattered on, quite in a glow of elation at his praises—“I must tell you that it was a real anxiety to me when you wrote and bade me find a governess for your poor little wards; and so I did as you had advised me to do in any real difficulty: I carried your letter to that excellent Mr. Lumley. But you won’t catch cold standing here, will you, sir? I am so dreadfully thoughtless, and there is a fire in the morning room.”
“I shall not catch cold,” he answered curtly. “You went to Mr. Lumley? Quite right. Well, and then?”
“And then he told me he knew a young lady whom he could recommend; and we went together and secured her. But I’m sure you feel chilly, Mr. Aylwinne; you look so pale about the lips.”
“You secured her services, did you say? And her father—what about him?”
“Dear me, didn’t I tell you?” And Mrs. Wilson lowered her voice to an awed whisper, which, to Florence’s great relief, made it inaudible where she stood. “He’s dead, you know, sir; taken off quite suddenly, Mr. Lumley said, with paralysis. And she was such an excellent daughter! It was very touching to see her sitting there alone, in her deep mourning—so patient, poor dear, and so resigned!”
“And you secured—that is, you engaged her? And she is coming here, to Orwell Court?” Mr. Aylwinne asked unsteadily.
“Dear me—how badly I must express myself!” cried Mrs. Wilson. “I thought you quite understood that she is here.”