“I have lived in a climate where fever is so common people forget to fear it,” he said.
“But Mrs. Riley and your sisters have not,” she suggested.
“I am not staying at Woodbrook,” he answered. “I am at Lakemount, and the long ride back there will rid me of infection if I catch any here.”
Not at Woodbrook! Time was when Grace would have asked him the why and the wherefore of such an extraordinary proceeding, but she could not do this now. Neither could he tell her what a grievous disappointment his return home had proved; how terrible that life of shortness, meanness, discontent, complaining, had seemed to him after the wider and nobler career his Indian experience had opened to him. He had done for his family all a man could, and his family were dissatisfied with his efforts. Not merely were affairs no better than when he went away, but they were infinitely worse. The amount of the mortgage was increased, the land was deteriorated in value, the houses and cottages were dilapidated, and in many cases almost falling to ruin, whilst Woodbrook itself gave evidence at every turn, of neglect; shortness of money; lack of spirit to improve; lack of will to make the best of a bad position; lack of faith that time and patience and energy might work wonders in the way of repairing even the shattered fortunes of the Riley family.
Naturally, when absent, a man forgets the failings of those belonging to him, if indeed he ever knew them; and perhaps there is no greater trial than for a person to return to the home of his youth to find it and the people it contains different from the ideal, experience of the world has been gradually working up for him.
But these were things of which John Riley could not speak to any one. Right glad had he been to accept Lord Ardmorne’s invitation, and leave Woodbrook for Lakemount.
“Deserting his own flesh and blood,” said Mrs. Riley.
“It does not seem to me that his own flesh and blood made things very pleasant for him,” observed the General, his old spirit roused at the implied blame to his son.
Mr. John Riley’s visit to Maryville was prolonged perforce; for he had not been seated many minutes before a flash of lightning, followed by a loud sullen peal of thunder, announced that the storm so long threatened had come.
During the time he remained he spoke of little, except Nettie; her position and her future prospects. He had been informed there was no will, and that, consequently, the eldest son taking the freehold property, Mrs. Brady’s share of her late husband’s estate would probably be small.