“Well there’s no need for you to ruin my necktie, just because of that, Lizzie!” said her undemonstrative relative, disengaging himself from her embrace. “Never been in any danger that I knew of! You don’t look very stout! In fact, you look quite knocked out! What’s amiss? If it’s stomach trouble, I knew a fellow once, ten times worse than ever you were, who got himself cured by magnetism and warm ale. Fact!”
Lady Ombersley made haste to assure him that if she looked knocked out it was only through anxiety and began at once to tell him about Amabel’s illness, dwelling fondly on Sophy’s goodness through this trying period.
“Oh, Sophy’s a capital nurse!” he said. “How do you go on with her? Where is the girl?”
This question flustered Lady Ombersley quite as much as it had flustered Dassett. She faltered that Sophy would be so sorry! If only she had guessed that her papa was on his way to London she would surely not have gone!
“Yes, Dassett said she was gone out of town,” responded Sir Horace, disposing his large limbs in an easy chair and crossing one shapely leg over the other. “Never expected to find any of you here at this season, but, of course, if one of the children is ill, that explains it. Where’s Sophy gone to?”
“I think — I was busy with Amabel when Cecilia told me, but I think she said that dearest Sophy had gone down to Lacy Manor!”
He looked surprised. “What the deuce should take her there? The place ain’t fit to live in! Don’t tell me Sophy’s putting it to rights, because I’m by no means sure — However, never mind that!”
“No, no, I don’t think she had any such idea! At least — Oh, Horace, I don’t know what you will say to me, but I very much fear that Sophy has run away from us because of something that happened today!”
“Shouldn’t think so at all,” said Sir Horace coolly. “Not like my little Sophy to enact you a Cheltenham tragedy. What did happen?”
“I do not properly understand it. I was not here! But Cecilia seemed to think that — that Sophy and Charles had fallen out! Of course, I know he has a dreadful temper, but I am persuaded he cannot have meant — And Sophy has never before taken the least notice when he — Because it is not the first time they have quarreled!”