As Mrs. Chloe came out into the sitting-room and closed the door after her, she did not look as though she were greatly troubled by Mrs. Philippa's determination to stay in bed all day. Indeed, from what I learned afterward, I had no doubt at all, that it was the result of a conspiracy between herself and Tupper, to keep Mrs. Philippa quiet. She was so bent upon having her own way, and upon not being governed, that she habitually chose the exact contrary of everything proposed to her. Mrs. Deborah seldom condescended to manage her sister in this way, but neither Mrs. Chloe nor Tupper scrupled to do so.
We rose, of course, as Mrs. Chloe came in, and she greeted us each with great kindness.
"I am glad to see you, nieces. Sister Deborah is below looking after the horses—she likes to see herself how they are attended to—and Sister Philippa, poor thing, is not well this morning, and will not get up." Then lowering her voice to a whisper—"You must have great patience with your Aunt Philippa, my dears. She is peculiar, without doubt. Even I can see that."
Well she might, poor lady, since she had to bear the brunt of most of these peculiarities.
"But she has always been delicate, and she had a disappointment in early life," sinking her voice still lower. "She has been an invalid ever since, and often keeps her bed for weeks at a time." Here Mrs. Chloe's words were interrupted by a fit of coughing, which seemed enough to shake her to pieces. "There, never mind, girls, I have had this cough ever since I got over the smallpox. It is not much, only it takes my breath away. If you could fan me a little!"
Amabel hastened to do so, and I took from my pocket a box of comfits Mrs. Thorpe had given me, and offered them to her.
"Yes, that is just the thing—thank you, niece Corbet, I am better now. It is rather trying at times, but when I think how much more poor Philippa suffers, I ought not to complain. Oh yes, I am much better. It is of no consequence. It will soon wear off. And here comes Sister Deborah."
Mrs. Deborah made us welcome, and we sat down to breakfast. The meal was a very pleasant one. Deborah inquired somewhat anxiously how Mrs. Chloe had rested, remarking that she thought she heard her coughing just now.
"Yes, I did cough a little, but my niece Corbet had some comfits for me, and they helped me very much. Oh yes, I assure you, Sister Deborah, I am very much better. I shall be quite well when the frosty weather comes to brace me up a little. Do you know where Mrs. Thorpe found those comfits, niece?"
"I believe she has them for sale," I answered; "but, Aunt Chloe—I beg your pardon, madam," I faltered, confused by the liberty I had inadvertently taken.