The whole town of Hollingford came to congratulate and inquire into
particulars. Some indeed--Mrs. Goodenough at the head of this class
of malcontents--thought that they were defrauded of their right to
a fine show by Cynthia's being married in London. Even Lady Cumnor
was moved into action. She, who had hardly ever paid calls "out of
her own sphere," who had only once been to see "Clare" in her own
house--she came to congratulate after her fashion. Maria had only
just time to run up into the drawing-room one morning, and say,--
"Please, ma'am, the great carriage from the Towers is coming up to
the gate, and my lady the Countess is sitting inside." It was but
eleven o'clock, and Mrs. Gibson would have been indignant at any
commoner who had ventured to call at such an untimely hour, but in
the case of the Peerage the rules of domestic morality were relaxed.
The family "stood at arms," as it were, till Lady Cumnor appeared in
the drawing-room; and then she had to be settled in the best chair,
and the light adjusted before anything like conversation began. She
was the first to speak; and Lady Harriet, who had begun a few words
to Molly, dropped into silence.
"I have been taking Mary--Lady Cuxhaven--to the railway station on
this new line between Birmingham and London, and I thought I would
come on here, and offer you my congratulations. Clare, which is
the young lady?"--putting up her glasses, and looking at Cynthia
and Molly, who were dressed pretty much alike. "I did not think it
would be amiss to give you a little advice, my dear," said she, when
Cynthia had been properly pointed out to her as bride elect. "I
have heard a good deal about you; and I am only too glad, for your
mother's sake,--your mother is a very worthy woman, and did her duty
very well while she was in our family--I am truly rejoiced, I say,
to hear that you are going to make so creditable a marriage. I hope
it will efface your former errors of conduct--which, we will hope,
were but trivial in reality--and that you will live to be a comfort
to your mother,--for whom both Lord Cumnor and I entertain a very
sincere regard. But you must conduct yourself with discretion in
whatever state of life it pleases God to place you, whether married
or single. You must reverence your husband, and conform to his
opinion in all things. Look up to him as your head, and do nothing
without consulting him."--It was as well that Lord Cumnor was
not amongst the audience; or he might have compared precept with
practice.--"Keep strict accounts; and remember your station in life.
I understand that Mr.--" looking about for some help as to the name
she had forgotten--"Anderson--Henderson is in the law. Although there
is a general prejudice against attorneys, I have known of two or
three who were very respectable men; and I am sure Mr. Henderson is
one, or your good mother and our old friend Gibson would not have
sanctioned the engagement."