He knew, in some way, that ever since she had been living as a governess in different families; but that she had always been a great favourite with the family at the Towers, for whom, quite independent of their rank, he had a true respect.A year or two ago he had heard that she had taken the good-will of a school at Ashcombe; a small town close to another property of Lord Cumnor's, in the same county.Ashcombe was a larger estate than that near Hollingford, but the old Manor-house there was not nearly so good a residence as the Towers; so it was given up to Mr Preston, the land-agent, for the Ashcombe property, just as Mr Sheepshanks was for that at Hollingford.
There were a few rooms at the Manor-house reserved for the occasional visits of the family, otherwise Mr Preston, a handsome young bachelor, had it all to himself.Mr Gibson knew that Mrs Kirkpatrick had one child, a daughter, who must be much about the same age as Molly.Of course she had very little, if any, property.But he himself had lived carefully, and had a few thousands well invested; besides which, his professional income was good, and increasing rather than diminishing every year.By the time he had arrived at this point in his consideration of the case, he was at the house of the next patient on his round, and he put away all thought of matrimony and Mrs Kirkpatrick for the time.Once again, in the course of the day, he remembered with a certain pleasure that Molly had told him some little details connected with her unlucky detention at the Towers five or six years ago, which had made him feel at the time as if Mrs Kirkpatrick had behaved very kindly to his little girl.So there the matter rested for the present, as far as he was concerned.Lady Cumnor was out of health; but not so ill as she had been fancying herself during all those days when the people about her dared not send for the doctor.It was a great relief to her to have Mr Gibson to decide for her what she was to do; what to eat, drink, avoid.Such decisions ab extra , are sometimes a wonderful relief to those whose habit it has been to decide, not only for themselves, but for every one else; and occasionally the relaxation of the strain which a character for infallible wisdom brings with it, does much to restore health.Mrs Kirkpatrick thought in her secret soul that she had never found it so easy to get on with Lady Cumnor; and Bradley and she had never done singing the praises of Mr Gibson, 'who always managed my lady so beautifully.' Reports were duly sent up to my lord, but he and her daughters were strictly forbidden to come down.Lady Cumnor wished to be weak and languid, and uncertain both in body and mind, without family observation.
It was a condition so different to anything she had ever been in before, that she was unconsciously afraid of losing her prestige, if she was seen in it.Sometimes she herself wrote the daily bulletins; at other times she bade Clare to do it, but she would always see the letters.Any answers she received from her daughters she used to read herself, occasionally imparting some of their contents to 'that good Clare.' But anybody might read my lord's letters.There was no great fear of family secrets oozing out in his sprawling lines of affection.But once Mrs Kirkpatrick came upon a sentence in a letter from Lord Cumnor, which she was reading out loud to his wife, that caught her eye before she came to it, and if she could have skipped it and kept it for private perusal, she would gladly have done so.My lady was too sharp for her, though.In her opinion 'Clare was a good creature, but not clever,' the truth being that she was not always quick at resources, though tolerably unscrupulous in the use of them.'Read on.What are you stopping for? There is no bad news, is there, about Agnes? - Give me the letter.' Lady Cumnor read, half aloud, - '"How are Clare and Gibson getting on? You despised my advice to help on that affair, but I really think a little match-making would be a very pleasant amusement now that you are shut up in the house; and I cannot conceive any marriage more suitable."' 'Oh!' said Lady Cumnor, laughing, 'it was awkward for you to come upon that, Clare: I don't wonder you stopped short.You gave me a terrible fright, though.' 'Lord Cumnor is so fond of joking,' said Mrs Kirkpatrick, a little flurried, yet quite recognizing the truth of his last words, - 'I cannot conceive any marriage more suitable.' She wondered what Lady Cumnor thought of it.
Lord Cumnor wrote as if there was really a chance.It was not an unpleasant idea; it brought a faint smile out upon her face, as she sate by Lady Cumnor, while the latter took her afternoon nap.