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If you don't like to come to us, you needn't. That's about all. 'George wouldn't let me go there at all, said Sophia. 'Then George had better keep you at home at Toodlam. Where's mamma? I should have thought somebody might have come and met me to say a word to me, instead of allowing me to creep into the house like this. 'Mamma isn't at all well; but she's up in her own room.
Having assured himself that there was no longer any danger of the Brehgert alliance he had remained in London, thinking his presence to be necessary for the winding up of Melmotte's affairs, and leaving poor Lady Pomona to bear her daughter's ill humour. The family at Caversham consisted therefore of the three ladies, and was enlivened by daily visits from Toodlam.
It was but the other day that she had looked down from a very great height on her elder sister, and had utterly despised the squire of Toodlam. And at that time, still so recent, this contempt from her had been accepted as being almost reasonable.
'Then Mr Whitstable may keep himself at home at Toodlam and not trouble his head at all about me or my husband. I'm sure I shan't trouble myself as to what a poor creature like that may think about me. George Whitstable knows as much about London as I do about the moon. 'He has always been in county society, said Sophia, 'and was staying only the other day at Lord Cantab's.
Her sister's marriage with Mr George Whitstable was fixed for the first of September, a day which in Suffolk is of all days the most sacred; and the combined energies of the houses of Caversham and Toodlam were being devoted to that happy event. Poor Georgey's position was in every respect wretched, but its misery was infinitely increased by the triumph of those hymeneals.
She was beginning to think that she herself must write to Mr Brehgert, only she did not know what to say to him. But on the Saturday morning she got a letter from Mr Brehgert. It was handed to her as she was sitting at breakfast with her sister, who at that moment was triumphant with a present of gooseberries which had been sent over from Toodlam.
And yet if Toodlam was a couple of thousand a year, it was all it was: and there were two unmarried sisters! Lady Pomona went half into hysterics every time she saw her younger daughter, and became in her way a most oppressive parent. Oh, heavens; was Mr Brehgert with his two houses worth all this? A feeling of intense regret for the things she was losing came over her.
The Toodlam gooseberries were noted throughout Suffolk, and when the letters were being brought in Sophia was taking her lover's offering from the basket with her own fair hands. 'Well! Georgey had exclaimed, 'to send a pottle of gooseberries to his lady love across the country! Who but George Whitstable would do that? 'I dare say you get nothing but gems and gold, Sophy retorted.
Fancy having to live at Toodlam all one's life with George Whitstable! Lady Pomona had agreed to this also, though she thought that Toodlam Hall was a very nice home for her elder daughter. 'And, mamma, I should drive you and papa mad if I were to stay at home always.
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