Mr. Morville conceded this point, but observed that he knew not why his daughter should be required to act as a sick-bed attendant in a household where as many as twenty — or, for anything he knew, thirty — servants were employed.
“As to that,” said Mrs. Morville, “it is Lady St. Erth rather than her stepson who depends just now upon Drusilla. These very shocking rumours have distressed her excessively. I am sure it is no wonder! And Drusilla, you know, feels that it would be a shabby thing to desert her, after her kindness. I own, I cannot but agree that we are very much obliged to her ladyship for entertaining our daughter during these weeks of our absence; and I should not, for my part, wish Drusilla to be backward in any attention.”
Mr. Morville, while he assimilated these words, removed his spectacles, and thoroughly polished them with his handkerchief. He then replaced them, and through them regarded the wife of his bosom with some severity. “When we set forth upon our travels, my love,” he said, “it was only at Lady St. Erth’s earnest entreaty that we left our daughter in her charge. The obligation was upon her side; and had it been otherwise I should never have consented to the arrangement. I had thought that we were at one on this!”
“Certainly! There can be no question!” Mrs. Morville said, showing a heightened colour. “The thing is — Mr. Morville, I have been closeted with Drusilla this past hour! I will not conceal from you that what she said to me — and, even more, what she did not say to me! — has given me food for serious reflection!”
“Indeed!”
“Reserve,” announced Mrs. Morville nobly, “is at all times repugnant to me! My dear sir, I beg you will tell me anything you may know of this young man!”
“What young man?” asked her lord, in bewildered accents.
Mrs. Morville had the greatest respect for her husband’s scholarly attainments, and for his grasp on imponderable subjects, but she had frequently been obliged to own that on more practical matters he was exasperatingly obtuse. She clicked her tongue impatiently, and responded: “Why, the new Earl, to be sure!”
“St. Erth?” he said. “I have never met him. I believe my brother is acquainted with him, but I do not immediately perceive in what way this can be germane to the present issue.”
“I daresay you might not,” said Mrs. Morville tolerantly, “for you never perceive what is under your nose, my love! What would you say to it if our daughter were to become the Countess of St. Erth?”