“Oh, you heard that from Miss Newton. The Newtons asked her for an assembly, and Mrs Crossland did not want to give up my Lady Milworth, so she sent word Hatty had a catarrh, I believe. It is all nonsense.”
“And it is not telling falsehoods?” said I.
“My dear, I have nothing to do with it,” said Amelia, fanning herself. “Mrs Crossland may carry her own shortcomings.”
I felt pretty sure now that Amelia was not in the plot.
“Will you give a message to Hatty?” I said.
“If it be not too long to remember.”
“Tell her I wanted her to spend the day, and my Aunt Dorothea writ to ask her to come, and Mrs Crossland returned answer that she had too bad a catarrh, and must keep indoors for some days.”
“Did she—to Mrs Desborough?” said Amelia, with a surprised look. “I rather wonder at that, too.”
“Emily, help me!” I said. “These Crosslands want to keep Hatty and me apart. There is something wrong going on. Do help us, if you ever cared for either of us.”
Amelia looked quite astonished and nuzzled.