‘Nearly old enough for John Kendal’s bank, eh, Gilbert?’
‘Oh!’ cried Albinia, ‘pray don’t let us talk of that while poor Gilbert is so ill.’
‘Hm!’ said Mr. Kendal with interrogative surprise, almost displeasure, and no more was said.
Albinia felt guilty, as she remembered that she had no more intended to betray her dislike to the scheme, than to gratify Gilbert by calling him ‘so ill.’ Aristocratic and military, she had no love for the monied interest, and had so sedulously impressed on her friends that Mr. Kendal had been in the Civil Service, and quite unconnected with the bank, that Mr. Ferrars had told her she thought his respectability depended on it, and she was ashamed that her brother should hear her give way again so foolishly to the weakness.
Gilbert became the most talkative as they drew near home, and was the first to spring out and open the hall door, displaying his two sisters harnessed tandem-fashion with packthread, and driven at full speed by little Maurice, armed with the veritable carriage whip! The next moment it was thrown down, with a rapturous shout, and Maurice was lost to everything but his brother!
‘Oh! girls, how could you let him serve you so?’ began the horrified Albinia. ‘Sophy will be laid up for a week!’
‘Never mind,’ said Sophy, dropping on a chair. ‘Poor little fellow, he wished it so much!’
‘I tried to stop her, mamma,’ said Lucy, ‘but she will do as Maurice pleases.’
‘See, this is the way they will spoil my boy, the instant my back is turned!’ said Albinia. ‘What’s the use of all I can do with him, if every one else will go and be his bond-slave! I do believe Sophy would let him kill her, if he asked her!’
‘It is no real kindness,’ said Mr. Kendal. ‘Their good-nature ought not to go beyond reason.’