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Mortimer, the head of his family and all alone of his name, for Valentine had been obliged to take the name of Melcombe, and, rather to the surprise of his family, had no sooner got things a little settled than he had started across the Continent to meet Mrs. Peter Melcombe, and bring her home to England. Mr.
WE can do as we please, or we can let Mrs. Melcombe do as SHE pleases." Now for the alternative. What can it be?" "Mrs. Melcombe can take Laura on the Continent again, and she proposed to do it forthwith." "And leave her boy at school? A very good thing for him." "No, she means to take him also, and not come back till Joseph is at the other end of the world." "Two months will see him there."
Melcombe if she would take some more wine, Valentine proceeding gravely: "Now do you or do you not think that if that review had been signed by the lecturer's father, brother, or friend almost as intimate as a brother, it would have carried more weight or less in consequence?" As several of them smiled, Mrs. Melcombe immediately felt uncomfortable again.
The Grants are the children of the second marriage, are they not?" "Yes; but three times! Did she marry three times? Ah, I remember how shocking!" "Shocking," exclaimed Mrs. Melcombe, "O, Laura, I consider it quite irreligious of you to say that." Laura laughed. "But only think," she observed, "what a number of names one must remember in consequence of her three marriages.
But I was going to say that you, being the only other Melcombe, you know, and you and I liking one another, I wish to act a brotherly part by you; and therefore, when you have bought yourself a handsome trousseau and a piano, and everything a lady ought to have, and your passage is paid for, I wish to make up whatever is left of your five hundred pounds to a thousand, that you may not go almost portionless to your husband."
They no sooner saw the majestic old men come in without their mother than Laura, feeling herself blush down to her very finger tips, retreated into the background, and Mrs. Peter Melcombe, suddenly finding that she had forgotten what she had intended to say, could scarcely collect enough composure to answer the gentle courtesy of their rather distant greeting.
Laura Melcombe, Peter's aunt, acted as his governess, and took a certain pride and pleasure in his young intelligence. It was well that she had something real to interest her, for her character was in strong contrast to her nephew's. She lived mainly in an ideal world, and her life was fed by what she fetched up from the clod or down from the clouds. Chiefly by the former.
In that case, you know, Laura, we shall only be with him about six weeks longer; so I hope our friends will forgive us for forgiving him." "They are fond of him, that is the fact," observed Mrs. Melcombe; "and to be sure the other brother, wanting to marry Miss Graham, does seem to make some difference, some excuse; but as to his illness, I don't think much of that.
Melcombe, my wife's just been saying, is a wonder, for that long new conservatory all down the front of the house will take a sight of filling filled it shall be, and with the best, for if ever there was a lady as deserved the best, it's Mrs. John Mortimer. I'm sorry now I burnt so many of my seedlings." "Burnt them, Nicholas?" "Why yes, sir," said Mrs.
I will write again soon. "Ever affectionately yours, "Elizabeth Grant." "Well," said Mrs. Melcombe, "it's the most disgraceful thing I ever heard of." "And here is a postscript," remarked Laura; "nothing particular, though: 'P.S. Dorothea was ill at first; but she is better.
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