Yet even this perception of a possibility of hope that there would be
relief after the ordeal, was new to Rachel; and it soon gave way to that
trying feature of illness, the insurmountable dread of the mere physical
fatigue. The Dean of Avoncester, a kind old friend of Mrs. Curtis, had
insisted on the mother and daughters coming to sleep at the Deanery,
on the Tuesday night, and remaining till the day after the trial; but
Rachel's imagination was not even as yet equal to the endurance of
the long drive, far less of the formality of a visit. Lady Temple was
likewise asked to the Deanery, but Conrade was still too ill for her to
think of leaving him for more than the few needful hours of the trial;
nor had Alison been able to do more than pay an occasional visit at her
sister's window to exchange reports, and so absorbed was she in her boys
and their mother, that it was quite an effort of recollection to keep up
to Ermine's accounts of Colonel Keith's doings.
It was on the Monday afternoon, the first time she had ventured into the
room, taking advantage of Rose having condescended to go out with the
Temple nursery establishment, when she found Ermine's transparent face
all alive with expectation. "He may come any time now," she said; "his
coming to-day or to-morrow was to depend on his getting his business
done on Saturday or not."
And in a few minutes' time the well-known knock was heard, and Ermine,
with a look half arch half gay, surprised her sister by rising with
the aid of the arm of her chair, and adjusting a crutch that had been
leaning against it.
"Why Ermine! you could not bear the jarring of that crutch--"
"Five or six years ago, Ailie, when I was a much poorer creature," then
as the door opened, "I would make you a curtsey, Colonel Keith, but I
am afraid I can't quite do that," though still she moved nearer to
meet him, but perhaps there was a look of helplessness which made her
exultation piteous, for he responded with an exclamation of alarm, put
out his arm to support her, and did not relax a frown of anxiety till
he had placed her safe in her chair again, while she laughed perhaps a
little less freely, and said, "See what it is to have had to shift for
oneself!"
"You met me with your eyes the first time, Ermine, and I never missed
anything."
"Well, I think it is hard not to have been more congratulated on my
great achievement! I thought I should have had at least as much credit
as Widdrington, my favourite hero and model."
"When you have an arm to support you it may be all very well, and I
shall never stand it without." Then, as Ermine subsided, unprepared with
a reply, "Well, Ailie, how are your boys?"