By and by Tom came down, and finding Geraldine alone in the drawing- room, he answered her inquiry with a very grave look. "Poor little thing! You do not think well of her! Is it as Angel feared?"
"Confirmed disease, from original want of development of heart.
Measles accelerated it. I doubt her lasting six months, though it may be longer or less."
"Have you told Angel?"
"She knew it, more or less. She is ready to bear it, though one can see how her soul is wrapped up in the child, and the child in her."
"One thing, Tom, will you tell Miss Merrifield yourself, and alone, and make her feel that it is an independent opinion? It may save both the poor child and Angel a great deal."
"Are you prepared to keep her here?"
"Of course we are. It is Angel"s natural home. Clement and I could think of nothing else"
"I knew you would say so. If I understand rightly there is something like a jealousy of her case in the Merrifields, prompted greatly by their wish to expiate any neglect of her father."
"That is what I gather from what Phyllis tells me."
"What a lovely countenance hers is in expression! No wonder Bernard has softened down. There is strength and solidity as well as sweetness in her face. Ah, there they are!"
"I will call Phyllis in. Bessie Merrifield has almost walked her to death by this time."
So Phyllis was called and told. What she said was, "I only hope he will make her understand that it could not be helped, and it was not Angela"s fault."
Tom May had wisdom enough to make this clear in what was a greater shock to Elizabeth than it was to Angela, who had suspected enough to be prepared for the sentence, and had besides a good deal of hospital experience, which enabled her thoroughly to understand the Professor"s explanations. So, indeed, did it seem to Elizabeth at the time he was speaking; but she had lived a good deal in London, and had a great idea that a London physician must be superior to a man who had lived in the country, and, moreover, whom all the household called Tom, and she asked Mrs. Grinstead if he were really so clever.
"Indeed, I think he is; and I have seen a great deal of his treatment. You may quite trust him. He lives down here at Stoneborough for his father"s sake, or he would be quite at the head of his profession."
"Superior to the two Doctors Brownlow?"
"I should not say superior, but quite equal."
"The Brownlows," said Clement, looking up from his paper, "helped me through an ordinary malarial fever. John Lucas is a brilliant specialist in such cases, but certifying an affection of the heart.
Tom May latterly has treated me better. As far as I understand the case of your little niece, I should say both that it was more in the line of Tom May, and likewise that it would be very hurtful to her to take her about and subject her to more examinations."
"Poor little thing! no doubt it would be a terrible distress,"
acquiesced Bessie; "but still, if it is bracing that she needs-- northern air might make all the difference."
Clement sighed a little hopelessly over making a woman understand or give way, and returned to his newspaper; while Geraldine tried to argue that air could not make much difference, speaking in the interest of the child herself and of her sister. Elizabeth listened and agreed; but there was in the Merrifield family a fervour of almost jealous expiation of their neglect of Henry, inattention to his daughter, and desire to appropriate her, and to restore her to health, strength, and wisdom, in spite of her would-be stepmother.
"They hate me as much as if I were her stepmother!" cried Angela. "I wish I was, to have a right to protect her! No, Clem; I"ll not break out, if I can help it, as long as they don"t worry her; and I think Bessie does see the rights of it."
Yes; the peaceful, thoughtful atmosphere of Vale Leston, unlike the active bustle of Coalham, had an insensible influence on Elizabeth"s mind; and she saw that Angela"s treatment of the child, always cheerful though tender, was right, and that it would be sheer cruelty to separate them. She promised to use all her power to prevent any such step, and finally left Vale Leston, perfectly satisfied that it was impossible to take Lena with her.
But her family did not see it thus, especially Mrs. Samuel Merrifield, the child"s guardian. She insisted that it was her husband"s duty to bring the little one to London for advice, and to remove her from all the weakening, morbid influences of Vale Leston.
CHAPTER XXVIII--SUMMONED
"What would we give to our beloved?"
- E. B. BROWNING.
"I wish they all would not go so very fast," said little Lena, hiding her face against him from the whirl of cabs and omnibuses.
"They bewilder us savages," said Angela, smiling. "Remember we are from the wilds."
"She shall have her tea, and a good rest," said Marilda; "and then I have asked her uncle and aunts to meet you at dinner, and Fernan hopes to bring home another old friend. Whom do you think, Angel?"
"Oh! Not our Bishop?"
"Yes, the Bishop of Albertstown! He is actually in town; Fernan saw him yesterday at the Church House."
"Oh! that is joy!" cried Angela; and Lena raised her head, with, "Is it mine--mine own Bishop?"
"Mine own, mine own Bishop and G.o.dfather, my sweet!" said Angela; "more to us in our own way than any one else. Oh! it is joy! How happy Clement will be!"
It was with much feeling, almost akin to shame, that Bessie wrote to Angela this decision of her brother, that a London authority must be consulted--not Dr. Brownlow, but one whom Mrs. Sam had heard highly spoken of.
"That man!" cried Angela. "I have heard of him! He is a regular mealy-mouthed old woman of a doctor! And she is so well just now!
How horrid to shake her up again! Oh, Bear! if I could only sail away with her to Queensland!"
"You would if it was ten years ago," said Bernard.
"Yes! Is it the way of the world, or learning resignation, that makes one know one must submit? Giving up an idol is a worse thing when the idol is made of flesh and blood."
Bernard wanted to see Sir Ferdinand, so made it an excuse for helping his sister on the way; and he did so effectively, for his knee and broad breast were Lena"s great resting-place; and his stories of monkeys and elephants were almost as good as kangaroos. Was there not a kangaroo to be seen in London, which she apparently thought would be a place of about the size of Albertstown?
Lady Underwood had insisted on receiving the travellers from Vale Leston in her house in Kensington; and there was her broad, kindly face looking out for them at the station, and her likewise broad and kindly carriage ready to carry them from it. How natural all looked to Angela, with all her a.s.sociations of being a naughty, wild, mischievous schoolgirl, the general plague and problem!
"But always a dear," said Marilda, with her habit of forgetting everybody"s faults. "Why didn"t you bring your wife, Bernard, and your little girl for this darling"s playfellow?"
"She is her best playfellow," said Angela; "Adela"s Joan is too rough, and fitter for Adrian"s companion."
"She is my playfellow," said Bernard, holding her up. "Look out, Lena. Here"s Father Thames to go over."
"And Fernan is so glad," added Marilda.
For Bishop Robert Fulmort had, when Vicar of St. Wulstan"s, been the guide and helper of Ferdinand Travis"s time of trial and disappointment, as well as the spiritual father of Clement Underwood; he had known and dealt with Angela in her wayward girlhood, and aided her bitter repentance; and in these later days in Australia had been her true fatherly friend, counsellor and comforter in the trials and perplexities that had befallen her. Bernard read, in her lifted head and brightened eye, that she felt the meeting him almost a compensation for the distress and perplexity of this journey to London.
Bernard carried the little girl up to the room and laid her down to sleep off her fatigue, while Marilda waited on her and Angela with her wonted bustling affection, extremely happy to have two of her best beloved cousins under her roof.
Bernard went off to find Sir Ferdinand at his office, and quiet prevailed till nearly dinner time, when Lena awoke and would not be denied one sight of her G.o.dfather. So Angela dressed her in her white frock, and smoothed her thin yellow hair, and took her down to the great stiff handsome room that all Emilia"s efforts had never made to look liveable. Emilia Brown was there, very fashionably attired, but eager for news of Vale Leston, and the Merrifields soon arrived with, "Oh! here she is!" from the Captain, "Well! she looks better than I expected!"
"Poor little dear!" observed his wife, dressed in a low dress and thin fringe on her forehead in honour of what, to the country mind, was a grand dinner party, at which Angela"s plain black dress and tight white cap were an unbecoming sight. Elizabeth was there, kissing Angela with real sympathy; and Lena, who had grown a good deal more accustomed to strange relations, endured the various embraces without discourtesy.