England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Families -- Fiction; Stepmothers -- Fiction
“I am sure she does not look as if anything was the matter,” said Rollo,
with that filial flattery which women like, at Lady Caroline’s age.
She gave him a faint little smile, but shook her head and sighed again.
“Bless my soul!” said the Dean, “I must look in upon Enderby, and tell
him to come and see you.”
“Oh, there is nothing the matter with me,” Lady Caroline said; but she
had no objection to see Enderby, who was the doctor and always very
kind. It even pleased her to think of confiding her troubles to him, for
indeed she had the humbling consciousness upon her mind that she had
never been a very interesting patient. She had never had anything but
headaches and mere external ills to tell him about. She had never till
now been able to reveal to him even a headache which had been caused by
trouble of mind. Lady Caroline, though she was dull, had a faint wish
to be interesting as well as other people, and it would be a relief to
pour out this trouble to his sympathising ear.
The idea of meeting Lottie when she went out was a very happy one, Lady
Caroline thought. She could not but feel that necessity was producing
invention within her. Perhaps she might not meet Lottie, perhaps Lottie
might be frightened and would decline to come. She drove out that
afternoon with a little excitement, full of hope, if she felt also the
palpitation of a little fear. These emotions made quite a pleasant and
unusual stir in the dull fluid that filled her veins. She was half
disturbed and half pleased when she found that Rollo proposed going with
her, a very unusual compliment from a young man. He said it was because
he had hurt his foot and could not walk. “Dear me!” Lady Caroline said,
“I will send Jarvis to see if it is a sprain.” “Oh no, it is not a
sprain,” he said; “a little rest is all it requires.” “You will find
carriage exercise very nice,” Lady Caroline said; “a perfect rest--and
much more amusement than walking, which tires one out directly.” And
thus they set out perfectly pleased with each other. But the coachman
had got his instructions carefully from Rollo’s own lips, and there was
now no possibility of escape for the poor lady, over whom Rollo himself
had mounted guard. They had not gone above a few yards from the Deanery
door, when the carriage suddenly drew up with a jar, to the side of the
high terrace pavement which lay in front of the Lodges. Rollo, who was
on the alert, looked eagerly out, and saw a light erect figure, full of
energy and life, coming up, in the plainest of morning frocks, one of
those simple toilettes which fashion has lately approved. She looked
perfectly fresh, and like the summer morning, as she came along, with a
little basket in her hand; and suddenly it burst upon Rollo, as Lottie
raised her eyes with a glance of astonished interest in them, wondering
why it was that Lady Caroline’s carriage should stop there, that this
unknown girl was extremely handsome--a thing for which the young man had
not been prepared.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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