Melbury and his wife welcomed the twain with affection, and all the
house with deference. They went up to explore their rooms, that opened
from a passage on the left hand of the staircase, the entrance to which
could be shut off on the landing by a door that Melbury had hung for
the purpose. A friendly fire was burning in the grate, although it was
not cold. Fitzpiers said it was too soon for any sort of meal, they
only having dined shortly before leaving Sherton-Abbas. He would walk
across to his old lodging, to learn how his locum tenens had got on in
his absence.
In leaving Melbury's door he looked back at the house. There was
economy in living under that roof, and economy was desirable, but in
some way he was dissatisfied with the arrangement; it immersed him so
deeply in son-in-lawship to Melbury. He went on to his former
residence. His deputy was out, and Fitzpiers fell into conversation
with his former landlady.
"Well, Mrs. Cox, what's the best news?" he asked of her, with cheery
weariness.
She was a little soured at losing by his marriage so profitable a
tenant as the surgeon had proved to be duling his residence under her
roof; and the more so in there being hardly the remotest chance of her
getting such another settler in the Hintock solitudes. "'Tis what I
don't wish to repeat, sir; least of all to you," she mumbled.
"Never mind me, Mrs. Cox; go ahead."
"It is what people say about your hasty marrying, Dr. Fitzpiers.
Whereas they won't believe you know such clever doctrines in physic as
they once supposed of ye, seeing as you could marry into Mr. Melbury's
family, which is only Hintock-born, such as me."
"They are kindly welcome to their opinion," said Fitzpiers, not
allowing himself to recognize that he winced. "Anything else?"
"Yes; SHE'S come home at last."
"Who's she?"
"Mrs. Charmond."
"Oh, indeed!" said Fitzpiers, with but slight interest. "I've never
seen her."
"She has seen you, sir, whether or no."
"Never."
"Yes; she saw you in some hotel or street for a minute or two while you
were away travelling, and accidentally heard your name; and when she
made some remark about you, Miss Ellis--that's her maid--told her you
was on your wedding-tower with Mr. Melbury's daughter; and she said,
'He ought to have done better than that. I fear he has spoiled his
chances,' she says."