England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Short stories, English
Passion week passed, and Easter week came in, and Lavinia made her
arrangements for the succeeding one. On the Tuesday in that next week,
all being well, she would quit Sainteville. Her preparations were
made; her larger box was already packed and corded. Nancy, of shallow
temperament and elastic spirits, seemed quite to have recovered from the
sting of the proposed parting; she helped Lavinia to put up her laces
and other little fine things, prattling all the time. Captain Fennel
maintained his suavity. Beyond the words he had spoken--as to how she
expected the income to keep two if it would not keep one--he had
said nothing. It might be that he hardly yet believed Lavinia would
positively go.
But she was going. At first only to Boulogne-sur-Mer. Monsieur
Jules Carimon had a cousin, Madame Degravier, who kept a superior
boarding-house there, much patronized by the English; he had written
to her to introduce Miss Preen, and to intimate that it would oblige
him if the terms were made très facile. Madame had written back to
Lavinia most satisfactorily, and, so far, that was arranged.
Once at Boulogne in peace and quietness, Lavinia would have leisure to
decide upon her future plans. She hoped to pay a visit to Buttermead in
the summer-time, for she had begun to yearn for a sight of the old place
and its people. After that--well, she should see. If things went on
pleasantly at Sainteville--that is, if Captain Fennel and Nancy were
still in the Petite Maison Rouge, and he was enabled to find means to
continue in it--then, perhaps, she might return to the town. Not to make
one of the household--never again that; but she might find a little
pied-à-terre in some other home.
Meanwhile, Lavinia heard no more of the procès, and she wondered how the
captain was meeting it. During the Easter week she made her farewell
calls. That week she was not very much at home; one or other of her old
acquaintances wanted her. Major and Mrs. Smith had her to spend a day
with them; the Miss Bosanquets invited her also; and so on.
One call, involving also private business, she made upon old Madame
Sauvage, Mary Carimon accompanying her. Monsieur Gustave was called up
to the salon to assist at the conference. Lavinia partly explained her
position to them in strict confidence, and the motive, as touching
pecuniary affairs, which was taking her away: she said nothing of that
other and greater motive, her superstitious fear.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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