Miss Morville could think of no reply to this, but issued instead depressing counsel. “You would do better to put him out of your mind, and return to your parents,” she said. “No doubt he will presently become betrothed to a tall and beautiful woman, and forget your very existence. However, a useful life lies before you, for your brothers will certainly marry, and although you yourself will remain single, you will be an excellent aunt to all your nephews and nieces.”
It was perhaps not surprising that it was Miss Morville rather than Drusilla, who presently carried his medicine to the Earl.
He had promoted himself that day to a chair beside the fire, and was seated in it, clad in the brocade dressing-gown which had excited his cousin’s mockery, and leaning his head back against the cushions to look up at Lord Ulverston, who stood warming his coat-tails in front of the hearth. He was certainly pale, and Miss Morville thought that he looked tired, but he greeted her with a warm smile, and spoke with a gaiety at variance with his rather careworn appearance.
“I wish you will tell me why it is, Miss Morville, that you never visit me unless you wish to force an evil draught down my unwilling throat!” he said. “And this afternoon you did not even visit me for that purpose, but left Turvey to be your deputy! I promise you, I think myself very hardly used!”
“What an exacting fellow you are!” exclaimed the Viscount, in a rallying tone. “Miss Morville went to meet her parents, and you may think yourself lucky she has returned to you at all!”
“Ah, yes, I had forgotten!” Gervase said, taking the glass, and draining it. He gave it back to Miss Morville, saying: “Does this mean that we must lose you, ma’am?”
“Not immediately. I have promised Lady St. Erth that I will remain with her another week,” she replied.
“You are very good,” he said, smiling at her. “I wish her ladyship and I may not, between us, have given your parents a great dislike of us!” He added, as she laughed, and moved towards the door: “Oh, no, don’t run away so soon! How can you neglect me so? Tell me about Martin’s new man!”
She was surprised, and repeated: “Martin’s new man?”
“Miss Morville, have you not seen him?” demanded the Viscount. “I’ve been telling Ger it’s a trifle too smoky for my taste! Never saw such a fellow in my life!”