"She's a very elegant-looking woman," said Miss Phoebe, feeling it
incumbent upon her to say something laudatory, by way of concealing
the thoughts that had just been passing through her mind. "I've seen
her in the carriage, riding backwards with the countess: a very
pretty woman, I should say."
"Nonsense, sister," said Miss Browning. "What has her elegance or
prettiness to do with the affair? Did you ever know a widower marry
again for such trifles as those? It's always from a sense of duty of
one kind or another--isn't it, Mr. Gibson? They want a housekeeper;
or they want a mother for their children; or they think their last
wife would have liked it."
Perhaps the thought had passed through the elder sister's mind that
Phoebe might have been chosen, for there was a sharp acrimony in
her tone; not unfamiliar to Mr. Gibson, but with which he did not
choose to cope at this present moment.
"You must have it your own way, Miss Browning. Settle my motives for
me. I don't pretend to be quite clear about them myself. But I am
clear in wishing heartily to keep my old friends, and for them to
love my future wife for my sake. I don't know any two women in the
world, except Molly and Mrs. Kirkpatrick, I regard as much as I do
you. Besides, I want to ask you if you will let Molly come and stay
with you till after my marriage?"
"You might have asked us before you asked Madam Hamley," said Miss
Browning, only half mollified. "We are your old friends; and we were
her mother's friends, too; though we are not county folk."
"That's unjust," said Mr. Gibson. "And you know it is."
"I don't know. You are always with Lord Hollingford, when you can
get at him, much more than you ever are with Mr. Goodenough, or Mr.
Smith. And you are always going over to Hamley."
Miss Browning was not one to give in all at once.
"I seek Lord Hollingford as I should seek such a man, whatever his
rank or position might be: usher to a school, carpenter, shoemaker,
if it were possible for them to have had a similar character of mind
developed by similar advantages. Mr. Goodenough is a very clever
attorney, with strong local interests and not a thought beyond."
"Well, well, don't go on arguing, it always gives me a headache, as
Phoebe knows. I didn't mean what I said, that's enough, isn't it?
I'll retract anything sooner than be reasoned with. Where were we
before you began your arguments?"
"About dear little Molly coming to pay us a visit," said Miss
Phoebe.