place for a
newly-wedded cousin and her husband, there shall be so many warm nests
laid afore me, that I shall have but to pick and choose. If that be all
the bar to my cousin's wedding, I may bless it to-morrow."
It was evident that there was no other difficulty, from the glad light
in Norman Hylton's eyes when he was told the Archbishop's answer. The
matter was settled at once. Only one small item was left out,
considered of no moment--the bride-elect knew nothing about the
transaction. That was a pleasure to come. That it would, should,
might, or could, be anything but a pleasure, never occurred either to
the Archbishop or to Mr Altham. They would not have belonged to their
century if it had done so.
It was the afternoon of the ninth of March. No answer had been received
from the Duke, and Perrote had almost lost hope. The Countess
petulantly declined to allow any religious conversation in her chamber.
She was restless and evidently miserable, Perrote thought more so than
merely from the longing desire to see her son; but some strange and
unusual reserve seemed to have come over her. Physically, she sank day
by day: it would soon be hour by hour.
Amphillis was off duty for the moment, and had seated herself with her
work at the window of her own room, which looked into the outer court,
and over the walls towards Derby. She kept upstairs a good deal at this
time. There were several reasons for this. She wished to be close at
hand if her services were needed; she had no fancy for Agatha's rattle;
and--she had not asked herself why--she instinctively kept away from the
company of Norman Hylton. Amphillis was not one of those girls who wear
their hearts upon their sleeves; who exhibit their injuries, bodily or
mental, and chatter freely over them to every comer. Her instinct was
rather that of the wounded hart, to plunge into the deepest covert, away
from every eye but the Omniscient.
Mr and Mrs Altham had pursued their journey without any further
communication to Amphillis. It was Lady Foljambe's prerogative to make
this; indeed, a very humble apology had to be made to her for taking the
matter in any respect out of her hands. This was done by the
Archbishop, who took the whole blame upon himself, and managed the
delicate affair with so much grace, that Lady Foljambe not only forgave
the Althams, but positively felt herself flattered by his interference.
She would inform Amphillis, after the dea
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