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Updated: June 1, 2025
Personally, it made no difference whether she had to see madame at Lionnet or here at home, but it made all the difference to mamma, and that was all for which she cared. Thinking these things, she met Mrs. Birkett midway on the lawn, the kind soul having come out to speak a soothing word before the poor child went in, to let her feel that she was sympathized with, not abandoned by them all.
His knowledge that Miss Birkett was his proper choice, his mad love for Leam love only on the right hand, fitness, society, family, every other claim on the left his jealousy of Alick, all irritated him beyond bearing, and made him forget even his good-breeding in his irritation. "Not known to my friend Edgar himself," was Adelaide's reply, her color rising, ill-humor being contagious.
"Shall I tell you a story?" she then said in a mild fit of desperation, for story-telling was as little in her way as anything else. "Yes, yes, tell me a story!" Fina clapped her chubby hands together and climbed up into Leam's lap. "What shall it be about bears or tigers, or what?" asked Leam dutifully. "Tell me about mamma, my own mamma, not Aunty Birkett," said Fina.
This was her contribution to the sum of philanthropy and self-sacrifice in the world, and it was not despicable; for Fina was restless and only six years of age, and Mrs. Birkett was indolent and soon tired. Thus, the whole society of the place was reduced now to the rector, Mr. Dundas and Leam, with Edgar Harrowby left alone at the Hill.
All the other young ladies of the country had come, Adelaide Birkett one of the most diligent in her attendance, for was not Edgar Harrowby one of the most constant in his?
She was a fore-and-aft schooner of twenty tons, measuring 42 feet 6 inches over all and put up at Bonny Town by Captain Birkett. She had two masts, and oars in case of calms; her crew was of six hands, including one Fernando, a Congoese, who could actually box the compass. No outfit was this time necessary, beyond a letter to Mr. Tippet, who had charge of the highest establishments up stream.
"Even that little savage must be tamed by such persistent sweetness," said Mr. Birkett to his wife, while she, with a kindly half-checked sigh, true to her central quality of maternity and love of peace all round, breathed "Poor little Leam!" compassionately.
Had she seen Adelaide Birkett sitting before her glass, her face covered in her hands and shedding hot tears like rain had she seen Leam standing by her open window, letting the cool night-air blow upon her, too feverish and disturbed to rest she would not have said that every one had been happy at the ball given in honor of Josephine's marriage.
Birkett went out by the French window to meet her as she came slowly up the lawn draped in the deep mourning which for the very contrariety of love she had made deeper since the marriage, her young head bent to the earth, her pale face rigid with despair, her heart full of but one feeling, her brain racked with but one thought, "Mamma is crying in heaven: mamma must not cry, and this stranger must be swept from her place."
The pendulum of acceptance, which had swung so far on one side in the unguaranteed reception of Madame de Montfort, had now gone back to the corresponding extent on the other; and no one, not even Mr. Birkett as the clergyman, nor Mr.
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