“I am certainly hoping that Harrogate will do wonders for me,” he said. “I go there every year. And no doubt many of us who are getting on in years would be benefited by it. But your symptoms are very slight. I think you will soon get rid of them if you follow the course I suggest.”
But Major Ames showed a strange desire for Harrogate.
“Well, I like to do things thoroughly,” he said. “I like getting rid of a thing root and branch, you know. You see I may not get another opportunity. Amy likes me to go with her on her holiday in August, but there is no reason why I should stop in Riseborough. I haven’t spoken to her yet, but if I could say that you recommended Harrogate, I’m sure she would wish me to go. Indeed, she would insist on my going. She is often anxious about my gouty tendencies, more anxious, as I often tell her, than she has any need to be. But an aunt of hers had an attack which went to her heart quite unexpectedly, and killed her, poor thing. I think, indeed, it would be a weight off Amy’s mind if she knew I was going to take myself thoroughly in hand, not tinker and peddle about with diet only. So would you be able to recommend me to go to Harrogate?”
“A course of Harrogate wouldn’t be bad for any of us who eat a good dinner every night,” said Dr. Evans. “But I think that if you tried——”
Major Ames got up, waving all further discussion aside.
“That’s enough, doctor,” he said. “If it would do me good, I know Amy would wish me to go; you know what wives are. Now I’m pressed for time this morning, and so I am sure are you. By the way, you needn’t mention my plan till I’ve talked it over with Amy. But about lodgings, now. Do you recommend lodgings or an hotel?”
Dr. Evans did not mention that his wife was not going to be with him this year, for, having obtained permission to say that Harrogate would do him good, Major Ames had developed a prodigious hurry, and a few moments after was going jauntily home, with the address of Dr. Evans’ lodgings in his pocket. He trusted to his own powers of exaggeration to remove all possible opposition on his wife’s part, and felt himself the devil of a diplomatist.
So his plan was arranged.
The third factor in this network of misconceived plots occurred the same morning. Mrs. Ames, visiting the High Street on account of an advanced melon, met Cousin Millie on some similar errand to the butcher’s on account of advanced cutlets, for the weather was trying. It was natural that she announced her intention of remaining in Riseborough with her family during August: it was natural also that Cousin Millie signified the remission from Harrogate. Cousin Amy was cordial on the subject, and returned home. Probably she would have mentioned this fact to her husband, if he had given her time to do it. But he was bursting with a more immediate communication.
“I didn’t like to tell you before, Amy,” he said, “because I didn’t want to make you unnecessarily anxious. And there’s no need for anxiety now.”