"That is true; but somehow it is scarcely like husband and wife; and
my mother fears that she may be sickly, for she is so small and
slight that it seems as if you could blow her away, and so white
that you would think she had no blood, except when a little heat
brings the purest rose colour to her cheek, and that, my lady says,
betokens weakliness. You know, of course, that she is an orphan;
her father died of a wasting consumption, and her mother not long
after, when she was a yearling babe. It was her grandfather who was
my father's friend in the old cavalier days, and wrote to propose
the contract to my brother not long before his death, when she was
but five years old. The pity was that she was not sent to us at
once, for the old lord, her grand-uncle, never heeded or cared for
her, but left her to servants, who petted her, but understood
nothing of care of her health or her education, so that the only
wonder is that she is alive or so sweet and winning as she is. She
can hardly read without spelling, and I had to make copies for her
of Alice Fitzhubert, to show her how to sign the book. All she knew
she learnt from the old steward, and only when she liked. My father
laughs and is amused, but my lady sighs, and hopes her portion is
not dearly bought."

"Is not she to be a great heiress?"

"Not of the bulk of the lands--they go to heirs male; but there is
much besides, enough to make Charles a richer man than our father.
I wonder what you will think of her. My mother is longing to talk
her over with Mrs Woodford."

"And my mother is longing to see my lady."

"I fear she is still but poorly."

"We think she will be much better when we get home," said Anne. "I
am sure she is stronger, for she walked round the Close yesterday,
and was scarcely tired."

"But tell me, Anne, is it true that poor Master Oliver Oakshott is
dead of smallpox?"

"Quite true. Poor young gentleman, he was to have married that
cousin of his mother's, Mistress Martha Browning, living at
Emsworth. She came on a visit, and they think she brought the
infection, for she sickened at once, and though she had it
favourably, is much disfigured. Master Oliver caught it and died in
three days, and all the house were down with it. They say poor Mrs.
Oakshott forgot her ailments and went to and fro among them all. My
mother would have gone to help in their need if she had been as well
as she used to be."

"How is it with the other