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You would be most happy and comfortable with Madame Bonnemain. She is one of the sweetest and most charming of women, musical and cultured; her companionship would be invaluable to you. 'I do not think I wish to go abroad, meanwhile. Would you and Mr. Fordyce think it ungrateful if I refused to go? 'Well, no, replied Mrs. Fordyce, though with a slight accent of surprise.
Captain Bonnemain was a good man, and he loved me dearly, but it is nearly always a mistake to marry a foreigner. It seems a cruel thing to say, but I never felt to poor Louis as I felt to the noble Englishman who has done me so great an honour. Her eyes were full of tears. Mrs. Fordyce saw that she was deeply moved. 'I do not know what he sees in me.
The Scotch travellers spent a happy week in the old Flemish town; and Gladys, who had the artist's quick eye for beauty of colour and picturesqueness of detail, carried away with her many little 'bits, to be finished and perfected at home. Madame Bonnemain journeyed with them to Brussels many times, but declined their invitation to accompany them to Paris.
She did not feel at all sure of any such thing. 'I cannot help thinking, my dear child, that the sooner you are married the better it will be for you. You are too much isolated here, and that Miss Peck, good little woman though she is, is only an old sheep. I must for ever regret the circumstances which prevented Madame Bonnemain coming to Bourhill. Mrs.
Madame Bonnemain herself met them at the station, a bright-eyed, red-cheeked, happy-faced little woman, on whom the care and the worry of life appeared to have sat but lightly during all these hard years. She was visibly affected at meeting with her old school-friend. 'Why, Henrietta, you are not one bit changed; you actually look younger than ever, exclaimed Mrs.
Fordyce was in full possession of the whole story of these weary and sordid years through which Henrietta Bonnemain had uncomplainingly borne her burden of poverty and care. 'Then the Colonel turned up, she concluded, with a curious little tender smile; 'just when my affairs were at the lowest ebb he came here to visit an old regimental friend who lives over the way.
She saw many difficulties ahead, yet hesitated to chill the girl's young enthusiasm, which seemed a beautiful and a heavenly thing even to the woman of the world, who believed that it could never come to fruition. 'There is something else which might be done. What would you say to Madame Bonnemain coming here to live with you as housekeeper and chaperon?
'I cannot help regretting that Madame Bonnemain was prevented coming to Bourhill. She would have set her foot down on this. 'Then she would have been mistress of Bourhill, answered Gladys, with a faint smile, 'and we should certainly have disagreed. Mrs. Fordyce looked at her curiously. 'There is a great deal of character about you, Gladys. I am afraid you are rather an imposition.
The carriages rattled across the market-place, and drew up before one of the quaint, grey, green-shuttered houses. The concierge rose lazily from his chair within the shadow of the court, and showed himself at the door. The ladies alighted, and were ushered into the small plain abode where Madame Bonnemain had so long struggled for existence. All were charmed with it and with her.
The bright, sharp eyes of Madame Bonnemain took in the three girls at one comprehensive glance, then she shook her head with a half-arch, half-regretful smile. 'A year ago such a prospect would have seemed to lift me to paradise.
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