"Very inconsiderate of them," muttered the young man.
"But what made you come home so late, Fanny?" said Rachel.
Alison suspected a slight look of wonder on the part of both the
officers at hearing their general's wife thus called to account; but
Fanny, taking it as a matter of course, answered, "We found that the-th
was at Avoncester. I had no idea of it, and they did not know I was
here; so I went to call upon Mrs. Hammond, and Colonel Keith went to
look for Alick, and we have brought him home to dine."
Fanny took it for granted that Rachel must know who Alick was, but she
was far from doing so, though she remembered that the --th had been her
uncle's regiment, and had been under Sir Stephen Temple's command in
India at the time of the mutiny. The thought of Fanny's lapsing into
military society was shocking to her. The boys were vociferating about
boats, ponies, and all that had been deferred till the Major's arrival,
and he was answering them kindly, but hushing the extra outcry less by
word than sign, and his own lowered voice and polished manner--a manner
that excessively chafed her as a sort of insult to the blunt, rapid ways
that she considered as sincere and unaffected, a silkiness that no doubt
had worked on the honest, simple general, as it was now working on
the weak young widow. Anything was better than leaving her to such
influence, and in pursuance of the intention that Rachel had already
announced at home, she invited herself to stay to dinner; and Fanny
eagerly thanked her, for making it a little less dull for Colonel Keith
and Alick. It was so good to come down and help. Certainly Fanny was
an innocent creature, provided she was not spoilt, and it was a duty to
guard her innocence.
Alison Williams escaped to her home, sure of nothing but that her sister
must not be allowed to share her uncertainties; and Lady Temple and her
guests sat down to dinner. Rachel meant to have sat at the bottom and
carved, as belonging to the house; but Fanny motioned the Colonel to
the place, observing, "It is so natural to see you there! One only
wants poor Captain Dent at the other end. Do you know whether he has his
leave?"
Wherewith commenced a discussion of military friends--who had been heard
of from Australia, who had been met in England, who was promoted, who
married, who retired, &c., and all the quarters of the-th since its
return from India two years ago; Fanny eagerly asking questions and
making remarks, quite at home and all animation, absolutely a different
being from the subdued, meek little creature that Rachel had hitherto
seen. Attempts were made to include Miss Curtis in the conversation by
addressing anecdotes to her, and asking if she knew the places named;
but she had been to none, and the three old friends quickly fell into
the swing of talk about what interested them. Once, however, she
came down on them with, "What conclusion have you formed upon female
emigration?"