f truth
in what Uncle Geoffrey said, yet I do believe that poor grandmamma made
it worse. You know she had always been in India, and knew less about
boys than mamma, who had been brought up with papa and my uncles, so
she might really believe that everything was dangerous; and I have
often seen her quite as much alarmed, or more perhaps, about you--her
consolations just showing that she was in a dreadful fright, and making
mamma twice as bad."

"Well," said Fred, sighing, "that is all over now, and she thought she
was doing it all for the best."

"And," proceeded Henrietta, "I think, and Queen Bee thinks, that this
perpetual staying on at Rocksand was more owing to her than to mamma.
She imagined that mamma could not bear the sight of Knight Sutton, and
that it was a great kindness to keep her from thinking of moving--"

"Ay, and that nobody can doctor her but Mr. Clarke," added Fred.

"Till now, I really believe," said Henrietta, "that the possibility of
moving has entirely passed out of her mind, and she no more believes
that she can do it than that the house can."

"Yes," said Fred, "I do not think a journey occurs to her among events
possible, and yet without being very fond of this place."

"Fond! O no! it never was meant to be a home, and has nothing homelike
about it! All her affections are really at Knight Sutton, and if she
once went there, she would stay and be so much happier among her own
friends, instead of being isolated here with me. In grandmamma's time
it was not so bad for her, but now she has no companion at all but me.
Rocksand has all the loneliness of the country without its advantages."

"There is not much complaint as to happiness, after all," said Fred.

"No, O no! but then it is she who makes it delightful, and it cannot be
well for her to have no one to depend upon but me. Besides, how useless
one is here. No opportunity of doing anything for the poor people, no
clergyman who will put one into the way of being useful. O how nice it
would be at Knight Sutton!"

"And perhaps she would be cured of her fears," added Fred; "she would
find no one to share them, and be convinced by seeing that the cousins
there come to no harm. I wish Uncle Geoffrey would recommend it!"

"Well, we will see what we can do," said Henrietta. "I do think we may
persuade her, and I think we ought; it would be for her happiness and
for yours, and on all accounts I am convinced that it ought to be done."

And as