‘Yes, I thought it economical to patch myself up in time; so I asked for a holiday to go to the doctor.’
‘Well?’
‘He did after the nature of doctors; poked me about, and asked if there were decline in the family;’ and in spite of the smile, the great blue eyes looked ghastly; ‘and he forbade exertion, and ordered good living and cod-liver oil.’
‘Then surely you should be taking care.’
‘So I am. These are very good-natured people, and I’m a treasure of a governess, you know. I have refections ten times a day, and might swim in port wine, and the little Swiss bonne walks the children, and gives them an awful accent, which their mamma thinks the correct thing.’
‘Change—rest—you should have them.’
‘I shall, when Owen comes. It is summer-time, and I shall hold on till then, when it will be plenty of time to see whether this is nonsense.’
‘Whether what is?’
‘About my lungs. Don’t look horrified. He could only trace the remains of a stupid old cold, and if it were more, I know of no fact of so little moment to anybody.’
‘You should not say that, Lucy; it is wrong and cruel.’