‘You will never find any one to mend your jackets, and dress your wounds like Rachel,’ said Lily, ‘and make a baby of you instead of a great schoolboy. What will become of you, Redgie?’
‘What will become of any of us?’ said Claude; ‘I thought Rachel was the mainspring of the house.’
‘Have you quarrelled with her, Emily?’ said Reginald.
‘Nonsense,’ said Emily, ‘it is only that her brother has lost his wife, and wants her to take care of his children.’
‘Well,’ said Reginald, ‘her master has lost his wife, and wants her to take care of his children.’
‘I cannot think what I shall do,’ said Ada; ‘I cry about it every night when I go to bed. What is to be done?’
‘Send her brother a new wife,’ said Maurice.
‘Send him Emily,’ said Reginald; ‘we could spare her much better.’
‘Only I don’t wish him joy,’ said Maurice.
‘Well, I hope you wish me joy of my substitute,’ said Emily; ‘I do not think you would ever guess, but Lily, after being in what Rachel calls quite a way, has persuaded every one to let us have Esther Bateman.’