“No, no, I can’t sit, can’t stay,” said Lady Cecilia.
A look quickly visible, and quickly suppressed, showed Lady Castlefort’s sense of relief; then came immediately greater pressing to sit down, “Pray do not be in such a hurry.
“But I am keeping you; have you breakfasted?”
“Taken coffee in my own room,” said Lady Castlefort “But you have people to breakfast; must not you go down?”
“No, no, I shall not go down for this is Katrine’s affair, as I will explain to you.”
Lady Cecilia was quite content, without any explanation; and sitting down, she drew her chair close to Lady Castlefort, and said, “Now, my dear, my little matter of curiosity.”
“Stay, my dear, first I must tell you about Katrine—now confidentially—very.”
Lady Cecilia ought to have been aware that when once her dear cousin Louisa’s little heart opened, and she became confidential, very, it was always of her own domestic grievances she began to talk, and that, once the sluice opened, out poured from the deep reservoir the long-collected minute drops of months and years.
“You have no idea what a life I lead with Katrine—now she is grown blue.”
“Is she?” said Lady Cecilia, quite indifferent.