"I was not ten when Clare married, and I'm nearly nine-and-twenty,"
added Lady Harriet.
"Don't speak of it, Harriet; at any rate you are but eight-and-twenty
now, and you look a great deal younger. There is no need to be always
bringing up your age on every possible occasion."
"There was need of it now, though. I wanted to make out how old
Cynthia Kirkpatrick was. I think she can't be far from eighteen."
"She is at school at Boulogne, I know; and so I don't think she can
be as old as that. Clare says something about her in this letter:
'Under these circumstances' (the ill-success of her school), 'I
cannot think myself justified in allowing myself the pleasure of
having darling Cynthia at home for the holidays; especially as the
period when the vacation in French schools commences differs from
that common in England; and it might occasion some confusion in my
arrangements if darling Cynthia were to come to Ashcombe, and occupy
my time and thoughts so immediately before the commencement of my
scholastic duties as the 8th of August, on which day her vacation
begins, which is but two days before my holidays end.' So, you see,
Clare would be quite at liberty to come to me, and I daresay it would
be a very nice change for her."
"And Hollingford is busy seeing after his new laboratory at the
Towers, and is constantly backwards and forwards. And Agnes wants to
go there for change of air, as soon as she is strong enough after
her confinement. And even my own dear insatiable 'me' will have had
enough of gaiety in two or three weeks, if this hot weather lasts."
"I think I may be able to come down for a few days too, if you will
let me, mamma; and I'll bring Grace, who is looking rather pale and
weedy; growing too fast, I'm afraid. So I hope you won't be dull."
"My dear," said Lady Cumnor, drawing herself up, "I should be ashamed
of feeling dull with my resources; my duties to others and to
myself!"
So the plan in its present shape was told to Lord Cumnor, who highly
approved of it; as he always did of every project of his wife's. Lady
Cumnor's character was perhaps a little too ponderous for him in
reality, but he was always full of admiration for all her words and
deeds, and used to boast of her wisdom, her benevolence, her power
and dignity, in her absence, as if by this means he could buttress up
his own more feeble nature.
"Very good--very good, indeed! Clare to join you at the Towers!
Capital! I couldn't have planned it better myself! I shall go down
with you on Wednesday in time for the jollification on Thursday. I
always enjoy that day; they are such nice, friendly people, those
good Hollingford ladies. Then I'll have a day with Sheepshanks, and
perhaps I may ride over to Ashcombe and see Preston--Brown Jess can
do it in a day, eighteen miles--to be sure! But there's back again to
the Towers!--how much is twice eighteen--thirty?"