Mrs. Masters
protested that it was all trash from beginning to the end.
Then there came a sudden disruption to all these plans, and a
sudden renewal of her hopes to Mrs. Masters which for one half day
nearly restored her to good humour. Lady Ushant wrote to postpone
the visit because she herself had been summoned to Bragton. Her
letter to Mary, though affectionate, was very short. Her
grand-nephew John, the head of the family, had expressed a desire
to see her, and with that wish she was bound to comply. Of course,
she said, she would see Mary at Bragton; or if that were not
possible, she herself would come into Dillsborough. She did not
know what might be the length of her visit, but when it was over
she hoped that Mary would return with her to Cheltenham. The old
lady's letter to Reginald was much longer; because in that she had
to speak of the state of John Morton's health,--and of her surprise
that she should be summoned to his bedside. Of course she would
go,--though she could not look forward with satisfaction to a
meeting with the Honble. Mrs. Morton. Then she could not refrain
from alluding to the fact that if "anything were to happen" to John
Morton, Reginald himself would be the Squire of Bragton. Reginald
when he received this at once went over to the attorney's house,
but he did not succeed in seeing Mary.
Pages:
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535