“I suppose my wishes are of no account, Richard?”
“Jilian!”
“Oh yes, sir, it will be very nice for you to come and make love to me after you have been sitting in some dirty, festering hovel! Really, Richard, you must consider your position and my wishes. I suppose I have more claim upon your consideration than some frowsy cottage woman, eh?”
Miss Hardacre appeared in peril of tears, and Richard was moved to appease her with promises as best he could. Being a sensitive and somewhat diffident youth, he supposed himself wholly at fault in so delicate a matter, and apologized to his betrothed for seeming so careless of her health and happiness. After much sentimental persuasion Miss Hardacre deigned to smile and to receive him again into favor, ordering him, however, on pain of her extreme displeasure not to contaminate his person in the thatched hovels of Rodenham.
XVII
Remembering that Mary Sugg was to appear at the priory with her boxes the following morning, Richard conceived it advisable that he should enlighten the Lady Letitia as to Miss Sugg’s advent. Not desiring to frighten the old lady, he announced to her after supper, with an air of quiet unconcern, that there was a reputed case of small-pox in the village and that he had offered his hospitality to Mary Sugg, who was very susceptible to fever. The Lady Letitia received the news with rampant astonishment, and fell straightway to abusing her nephew for dreaming of introducing the parson’s daughter into the house.
“You must be mad, Richard,” she said, looking red and overheated, “to think of dragging the girl up here. Precious little consideration you show for your aunt’s safety, sir! I suppose my susceptibility to fevers is not worthy of consideration.”
Jeffray attempted to mollify the old lady by describing poor Dr. Sugg’s anxiety, and by dilating on the unhealthy position of the rectory, with the church-pond close under its windows.
“Richard, you are an absolute booby,” she persisted. “How can you have a young woman staying alone with you in the house, with no discreet gentlewoman to see to the proprieties? Not that I am a prude, Richard, but what will your estimable neighbors say?”
Jeffray appeared vexed and not a little impatient. Was the world full of ridiculous entanglements of etiquette and propriety, and were all women in the habit of flying into tempers whenever their personal comfort was threatened?