"And when you have found one, you will let me know?"
"Whom else? Certainly, I will. I shall take no step without your direction."
"O thank you, sir!" said Matilda again.
They had been walking up the Avenue during this talk, to have uninterrupted time for it; now they had turned about to come home. Clear and bright and cold the sun was leaving the streets and lingering about the house roofs and chimneys; and the steeples of churches were shining marks of light on one side, on the other dark spires against the western sky. Mr. Wharncliffe and Matilda quickened their steps, which the frosty air made it pleasant to do. She supposed that the subject of their conversation was ended for the present, and so was somewhat surprised to hear the next question from her companion. It came out after some little pause.
"Matilda what has put this in your head?"
"This we have been talking of? Why I wanted to make Sarah comfortable. I could not bear to have her in that dreadful place. Mr. Wharncliffe, don't you think it is dreadful?"
"I do think it is dreadful; and your feeling very natural. Then you want to go to this expense and trouble for the comfort of knowing that she is comfortable?"
"I think so," said Matilda, somewhat puzzled. "I could not bear to think of her there."
"All perfectly right, Matilda," said her friend smiling. "I only want, while you are taking care of Sarah, to take care of you."
"How, sir?"