“If you get that, you poor dear,” said Moulsey, under her breath. But her mistress did not hear that remark any more than many others which Moulsey made in her own mind, always addressed to that mistress whom she loved. “If he said dying would be good for you, you would say you were sure of it, and that was what you wanted most,” the maid said within herself. It must not, however, be supposed from this that Colonel Kingsward was not a good husband. He had always been like a lover, though a somewhat peremptory one, to his wife. And without him her young, gay, pleasure-loving ways, her love of life and amusement might have made her a much less successful personage, and not the example of every virtue that she was. Had Mrs. Kingsward had the upper hand, the family would have been a very different family, and its career probably a very broken, tumultuous, happy-go-lucky career. It was that strong hand which had controlled and guided her, which had been, as people say, the making of Mrs. Kingsward; and though she feared his severity in the present crisis, she yet felt the most unspeakable relief from the baffled, helpless condition in which she had looked at her children, feeling herself all unable to cope with them in the presence of papa. “I wonder if he thinks we are cabbages,” was Bee’s indignant exclamation as he turned his back upon them. “Apparently,” said Charlie, coming a little out of his sullenness. “Look here, you girls, get into this omnibus--happily we’ve got an omnibus--with the little things, while I go to the Custom House to get the luggage through.” “Betty, you get in,” said Bee. “I will go with you, Charlie, for I have got mamma’s keys.” “Can’t you give them to me?” Charlie cast a gloomy look about, thinking that Leigh might perhaps be somewhere awaiting a word, a thought which now for the first time traversed Bee’s mind, too. “Then, Betty, you had better go with him, for he doesn’t know half the boxes,” she said. “Oh, you can come yourself if you like,” said Charlie, feeling in that case that this was the safest arrangement after all. “No, Betty had better go. Betty, you know Moulsey’s box and that new basket that mamma brought me before we left the Baths.” “Come along yourself, quick, Bee.” “No, I shall stop in the omnibus.” “When you have made up your minds,” cried Betty, who had slipped out of the vehicle at the first word. Betty thought it would be more fun to go through the Custom House than to wait all the time cooped up here. And Bee had her reward; for Aubrey was there, waiting at a distance till the matter was settled. “I should have risked everything and come, even if the penalty had been a quarrel with Charlie,” Aubrey said, “but I must not quarrel with anyone if I can help it. We shall have hard work enough without that.” “You have seen papa?” “Yes, I have seen him: but I have not done myself much good, I fear,” said Aubrey, shaking his head. “Bee, you won’t give me up whatever they may say?”