And then after lunch there did come a _tête-à-tête_ with Lady Cumnor,
which was conducted after this wise:--
"Well, Clare! I am really glad to see you. I once thought I should
never get back to the Towers, but here I am! There was such a clever
man at Bath--a Doctor Snape--he cured me at last--quite set me up. I
really think if ever I am ill again I shall send for him: it is such
a thing to find a really clever medical man. Oh, by the way, I always
forget you've married Mr. Gibson--of course he is very clever, and
all that. (The carriage to the door in ten minutes, Brown, and desire
Bradley to bring my things down.) What was I asking you? Oh! how do
you get on with the stepdaughter? She seemed to me to be a young lady
with a pretty stubborn will of her own. I put a letter for the post
down somewhere, and I cannot think where; do help me look for it,
there's a good woman. Just run to my room, and see if Brown can find
it, for it is of great consequence."
Off went Mrs. Gibson, rather unwillingly; for there were several
things she wanted to speak about, and she had not heard half of what
she had expected to learn of the family gossip. But all chance was
gone; for when she came back from her fruitless errand, Lady Cumnor
and the duchess were in full talk, Lady Cumnor with the missing
letter in her hand, which she was using something like a baton to
enforce her words.
"Every iota from Paris! Every i-o-ta!"
Lady Cumnor was too much of a lady not to apologize for useless
trouble, but they were nearly the last words she spoke to Mrs.
Gibson, for she had to go out and drive with the duchess; and the
brougham to take "Clare" (as she persisted in calling Mrs. Gibson)
back to Hollingford followed the carriage to the door. Lady Harriet
came away from her _entourage_ of young men and young ladies, all
prepared for some walking expedition, to wish Mrs. Gibson good-by.
"We shall see you at the ball," she said. "You'll be there with your
two girls, of course, and I must have a little talk with you there;
with all these visitors in the house, it has been impossible to see
anything of you to-day, you know."
Such were the facts, but rose-colour was the medium through which
they were seen by Mrs. Gibson's household listeners on her return.
"There are many visitors staying at the Towers--oh, yes! a great
many: the duchess and Lady Alice, and Mr. and Mrs. Grey, and Lord
Albert Monson and his sister, and my old friend Captain James of the
Blues--many more, in fact. But, of course, I preferred going to Lady
Cumnor's own room, where I could see her and Lady Harriet quietly,
and where we were not disturbed by the bustle downstairs. Of course
we were obliged to go down to lunch, and then I saw my old friends,
and renewed pleasant acquaintances. But I really could hardly get any
connected conversation with any one. Lord Cumnor seemed so delighted
to see me there again: though there were six or seven between us, he
was always interrupting with some civil or kind speech especially
addressed to me. And after lunch Lady Cumnor asked me all sorts of
questions about my new life with as much interest as if I had been
her daughter. To be sure, when the duchess came in we had to leave
off, and talk about the trousseau she is preparing for Lady Alice.
Lady Harriet made such a point of our meeting at the ball; she is
such a good, affectionate creature, is Lady Harriet!"