Mr. Gibson had been far too busy in his profession to have time for
mere visits of ceremony, though he knew quite well he was neglecting
what was expected of him. But the district of which he may be said to
have had medical charge was full of a bad kind of low fever, which
took up all his time and thought, and often made him very thankful
that Molly was out of the way in the quiet shades of Hamley.
His domestic "rows" had not healed over in the least, though he
was obliged to put the perplexities on one side for the time. The
last drop--the final straw, had been an impromptu visit of Lord
Hollingford's, whom he had met in the town one forenoon. They had had
a good deal to say to each other about some new scientific discovery,
with the details of which Lord Hollingford was well acquainted,
while Mr. Gibson was ignorant and deeply interested. At length Lord
Hollingford said suddenly,--
"Gibson, I wonder if you'd give me some lunch; I've been a good
deal about since my seven-o'clock breakfast, and am getting quite
ravenous."
Now Mr. Gibson was only too much pleased to show hospitality to one
whom he liked and respected so much as Lord Hollingford, and he
gladly took him home with him to the early family dinner. But it was
just at the time when the cook was sulking at Bethia's dismissal--and
she chose to be unpunctual and careless. There was no successor to
Bethia as yet appointed to wait at the meals. So, though Mr. Gibson
knew well that bread-and-cheese, cold beef, or the simplest food
available, would have been welcome to the hungry lord, he could not
get either these things for luncheon, or even the family dinner, at
anything like the proper time, in spite of all his ringing, and as
much anger as he liked to show, for fear of making Lord Hollingford
uncomfortable. At last dinner was ready, but the poor host saw
the want of nicety--almost the want of cleanliness, in all its
accompaniments--dingy plate, dull-looking glass, a table-cloth that,
if not absolutely dirty, was anything but fresh in its splashed and
rumpled condition, and compared it in his own mind with the dainty
delicacy with which even a loaf of brown bread was served up at
his guest's home. He did not apologize directly, but, after dinner,
just as they were parting, he said,--"You see a man like me--a
widower--with a daughter who cannot always be at home--has not the
regulated household which would enable me to command the small
portions of time I can spend there."