'Poor George!' I said, as I retired to rest--'You have wedded this
soulless woman, and she will wind you round her finger.'

"I did not sit up for him, for he was detained till a late hour, but
I obeyed the breakfast-bell with unfashionable eagerness, as I was
becoming nervous about our meeting, and really anxious to have it over.
After a delay of some minutes, I heard the wedded pair coming leisurely
down the stairs, in, very amicable chatter.

"'I am glad you like her, Laura,' said a voice which I knew in a moment
as that of George. How I shivered as I caught the smooth reply, 'A nice
little thing. I am very glad of the connexion. It will be such a relief
not to rely entirely upon servants. There should be a middle class in
every family.'

"With these words she glided through the door, looked with perfect
calmness in my flashing eyes, and said,

"'Ah, Fanny! I, was just telling George here how much I shall like you.'

"The husband came forward with an embarrassed air; I strove to meet him
with dignity, but my heart failed me, and I burst into tears.

"'Forgive me, madam,' I said, on regaining my composure--'This is our
first meeting since the death of _our father_.'

"'I understand your feelings perfectly,' she quietly replied. 'My father
knew the late Mr. Somers well, and thought very highly of him, He was
charitable to a fault, and yet remarkable for discernment. His bounty
was seldom unworthily bestowed.'

"His bounty! I had never been thought easy to intimidate, but I quailed
before this unapproachable ice-berg. It made no attempt from that moment
to vindicate what I was pleased to call my rights, but awaited passively
the progress of events.

"After breakfast, Mrs. Somers said to the maid in attendance,

"'Dorothy, bring some hot water and towels for Miss Rankin.'

"She then turned to me and continued, 'I shall feel the china perfectly
safe in your hands, cousin. These servants are so very unreliable.'

"And she followed George to the parlour above, where their lively tones
and light laughter made agreeable music.

"In the same easy way, I was invested with a variety of domestic cares,
most of them such as I would willingly have accepted, had she waited for
me to manifest such a willingness. But a few days after my arrival, we
received a visit from little Ella Grey, a cousin of Laura's, who was
taken seriously ill on the first evening of her stay. A physician was
promptly summoned, and, after a conf