il
of the other, the society of L---- was a happy medium. He should be glad
of my opinion. He had put off asking for it, because he owned his belief
that I had behaved unkindly to his lamented friend, Dr. Lloyd; but he
now found himself in rather an awkward position. His ward, young Sumner,
had prudently resolved on fixing his country residence at Kirby Hall,
rather than at Haughton Park, the much larger seat which had so suddenly
passed to his inheritance, and which he could not occupy without a vast
establishment, that to a single man, so young, would be but a cumbersome
and costly trouble. Mr. Vigors was pledged to his ward to obtain him
possession of Kirby Hall, the precise day agreed upon, but Mrs. Ashleigh
did not seem disposed to stir,--could not decide where else to go. Mr.
Vigors was loth to press hard on his old friend's widow and child. It
was a thousand pities Mrs Ashleigh could not make up her mind; she had
had ample time for preparation. A word from me at this moment would
be an effective kindness. Abbots' House was vacant, with a garden so
extensive that the ladies would not miss the country. Another party was
after it, but--'Say no more,' I cried; 'no party but my dear old friend
Anne Ashleigh shall have Abbots' House. So that question is settled.'
I dismissed Mr. Vigors, sent for my carriage, that is, for Mr. Barker's
yellow fly and his best horses,--and drove that very day to Kirby Hall,
which, though not in this county, is only twenty-five miles distant. I
slept there that night. By nine o'clock the next morning I had secured
Mrs. Ashleigh's consent, on the promise to save her all trouble; came
back, sent for the landlord, settled the rent, lease, agreement; engaged
Forbes' vans to remove the furniture from Kirby Hall; told Forbes to
begin with the beds. When her own bed came, which was last night, Anne
Ashleigh came too. I have seen her this morning. She likes the place,
so does Lilian. I asked them to meet you all here to-night; but Mrs.
Ashleigh was tired. The last of the furniture was to arrive today;
and though dear Mrs. Ashleigh is an undecided character, she is not
inactive. But it is not only the planning where to put tables and chairs
that would have tried her today: she has had Mr. Vigors on her hands
all the afternoon, and he has been--here's her little note--what are the
words? No doubt 'most overpowering and oppressive;' no, 'most kind and
attentive,'--different words, but, as applied to Mr