"We'll earn our own livings," said Bess who was the most energetic of the five. "Ida can look after the house, Frank can manage the farm; and Sidney can go to school, and I shall ask Mr. Arch to take me on to the Weekly Chronicle."
"But my dear child!" expostulated the Earl.
"What does it matter?" cried Bess. "We are the Endicottes whatever we may do. Everybody knows who we are and what we are. There is nothing disgraceful in earning one's own living Uncle Gar!"
The Earl--rather a helpless person--who had never done a stroke of honest work in his life, was rather surprised at the energy of Bess. However her scheme recommended itself to his favour since there was absolutely no other way of settling the matter. In one way and another, Lord Gartham paid off the debts by selling some of the land, and arranged that the united five should have a small income which they would have to increase as best they could. Thus it was that the Endicottes found themselves with their ancestral home, a small farm, two hundred a year, and the world before them.
They were all young and hearty so they thought very little of the matter. Bess obtained a post on the Weekly Chronicle at Beorminster, Ida looked after the house, and Frank managed the farm. Flo was put to a Beorminster school, whence she returned once a week to Saxham, and Sidney studied under Mr. Corn who expressed a desire to take him. The countryside all approved of this independent spirit, and made much of the Biffs.
When the Colonel died, this had been going on for three years. Ida was still unmarried, as she had refused several offers. "I cannot leave the children," she said, and people were divided as to the wisdom of this attitude. Some said it was right; but the majority agreed that it was a pity such a beautiful girl should develop into an old maid. But the fact is no one knew Ida's secret. She was in love with Stephen, and although they had never spoken on the subject they understood one another very well. Hitherto Stephen's poverty had prevented his speaking openly. Now the inheritance of eight thousand a year had altered all that, and he intended to ask Ida to be his wife on the very earliest opportunity.
It was a pity Jim did not know of this. He had fallen in love with Ida, and as she was always pleasant to him, it never crossed his mind that her heart was engaged. Open on most points with his new friend, Stephen out of delicacy for Ida was reticent about his love. So Jim continued to live in a Fool's Paradise, and not even the sharp-eyed Joyce had been able to able to enlighten him.
Certainly Mrs. Marsh had spoken to Jim on the subject. She wanted Stephen to marry Miss Endicotte, But Dr. Herrick thought that was merely her own desire, and did not think there was anything serious between the young people. Nor could Mrs. Marsh inform him of more than the fact that they liked one another, and that it was the desire of her heart to see them married.
One day when Stephen was at Saxham, Mrs. Marsh had a long talk with the doctor in which he saw more of her stormy character, than had ever been shown to him before. She could sit up in bed now, and wearied of the society of Petronella, frequently asked Herrick to stay beside her.
"You are one of the few sensible men I have met," she said, drawing her black brows together. "Come and talk. I want you to tell me what you think of Stephen."