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"Very skilful," added Miss Crewys. "You remember, Isabella, how quickly he put your poor little Fido out of his agony." "That is nothing; all doctors understand animals' illnesses. They kill numbers of guinea-pigs before they are allowed to try their hands on human beings," said Lady Belstone.
"No man with any self-respect," said Lady Belstone, "would desire to marry a widow without a jointure. I should have formed a low opinion, indeed, of any gentleman who asked me to marry him without first making sure that the admiral had provided for me as he ought, and as he has."
"When royalty calls I certainly will return the visit the same day," said Lady Mary, petulantly. "But I cannot spend my whole life driving along the high-roads from one house to another. I hate driving, as you know, Isabella." "What did Providence create carriages for but to be driven in?" said Lady Belstone.
Miss Crewys had, in consequence, long ago pronounced her to be a positive fright; and Lady Belstone had declared that such hair would prove an insuperable obstacle to her chances of getting a husband. "I know she's very young," said Mrs. Hewel, glancing apologetically at her offspring. "But what can I do?
It is, as our cousin says, self-evident," said Lady Belstone, returning the bow. "But I have always maintained, and always shall, that when the married sister comes back widowed to the home of her fathers, the privileges of birth are restored to her." Both sisters turned shrewd, expectant grey eyes upon their cousin. "It is it is rather a nice point," said John Crewys, as gravely as he could.
And then I made haste to change my dress, and it took a long time and that's all." The three gentlemen laughed forgivingly at this explanation, and the two ladies exchanged shocked glances. "Our cousin John did his best to entertain us, and we him," said Lady Belstone, stiffly. "His best and how good that must be!" said Lady Mary, with pretty spirit.
For John, with a slight bow of apology, and his grave air of authority, had quietly taken the letter from the canon's undecided fingers, and walked away with it into the library. "How very oddly our cousin John behaves!" said Lady Belstone, indignantly. "Almost snatching the letter from your hand." "Depend upon it, Mary inspired his action," said Miss Crewys, angrily.
"That is just what I told her," said Lady Belstone, triumphantly. "Though how she can be regretting such a daughter I cannot conjecture." "Sarah is a saucy creature," said Miss Crewys. "The last time I saw her she made one of her senseless jokes at me."
"Time flies so fast," said the canon, as though impelled to defend the absent. "It is getting on for three years since poor Sir Timothy died." "It is but two years and four months," said Miss Crewys. "It is thirty-three years since the admiral went aloft," said Lady Belstone, who often became slightly nautical in phrase when alluding to her departed husband; "and look at me."
"Canon Birch," said Lady Belstone, in awful tones, "she is a widow." The canon was silent, displaying an embarrassment which did not escape the vigilant observation of the sisters, who exchanged a meaning glance. "Well may you remind us of the fact, Isabella," said Miss Crewys, "for she has discarded the last semblance of mourning."
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