ld be the junior partner's wife; and decidedly
resenting her hardly going into society at all, though I really don't
see how she could; for first there was the Canon's death, and then just
after the boy was born came Lady Ronnisglen's accident, and for the
next year and a half there was constant attendance on her. They fitted
up a room on the ground floor for her, the one opening into your
drawing-room, and there they used to sit with her. I used to hear them
reading to her and singing to her, and they were always as merry as
possible, till last autumn, when something brought on erysipelas, and
she was gone almost before they took alarm. The good little daughter
was beaten down then, really ill for a week; but if you can understand
me, the shock seemed to tell on her chiefly bodily, and though she was
half broken-hearted when her husband in a great fright brought me up to
see her, and say whether her sister should be sent for, she still made
fun of him, and described the impossible advice they would bring on
themselves. I had to take care of her while he went away to the
funeral in Scotland, and then I learnt indeed to like her and see how
much there is in her besides laughter.'

'Did the old lady leave them anything?'

'I believe she had nothing to leave. Her jointure was not much, but I
am sure they miss that, for Mrs. Egremont has parted with her nurse,
and has only a little girl in her stead, driving out the perambulator
often herself, to the great scandal of the Greenleafs, though she would
have one believe it is all for want of occupation.'

'Do you think they have taken any alarm?'

'There's no judging from her joyous surface, but I have thought him
looking more careworn and anxious than I liked. Mr. Dutton, don't
answer if I ought not to ask, but is it true that things are going
wrong? I know you have been seeing Mr. Greenleaf, so perhaps you are
in his confidence and cannot speak.'

'Tell me, what is known or suspected?'

'Just this, that Mr. Goodenough has been the ruin of the concern. He
has been quite different ever since his voyage to America. You were
gone, old Mr. Greenleaf has been past attending to business ever since
he had that attack, and George Greenleaf has been playing the country
squire at Horton Bishop, and not looking after the office work, and Mr.
Egremont was inexperienced. One could see, of course, that the whole
character of the business was changed--much more advertising, m