Fanny submitted, so far. But she had a new form of persuasion to try,
before her reserves of resistance were exhausted. "If the doctor comes
back," she continued, "will your ladyship give me leave to go out,
whenever I ask for it?"
This was surely presuming on my indulgence. "Are you not expecting a
little too much?" I suggested--not unkindly.
"If you say that, my lady," she answered, "I shall be obliged to ask
you to suit yourself with another maid."
There was a tone of dictation in this, which I found beyond endurance.
In my anger, I said: "Leave me whenever you like."
"I shall leave you when I'm dead--not before," was the reply that I
received. "But if you won't let me have my liberty without going away
from you, for a time, I must go--for your sake."
(For my sake! Pray observe that.) She went on: "Try to see it, my lady, as I do! If we have the doctor with us again,
I must be able to watch him."
"Why?"
"Because he is your enemy, as I believe."
"How can he hurt me, Fanny?"
"Through your husband, my lady, if he can do it in no other way. Mr.
Vimpany shall have a spy at his heels. Dishonourable! oh, dishonourable
again! Never mind. I don't pretend to know what that villain means to
do, if he and my lord get together again. But this I can tell you, if
it's in woman's wit to circumvent him, here I am with my mind made up.
With my mind, made up!" she repeated fiercely--and recovered on a
sudden her customary character as a quiet well-trained servant, devoted
to her duties. "I'll take my master's letter to the post now," she
said. "Is there anything your ladyship wants in the town?"
What do you think of Fanny Mere? Ought I to have treated this last
offer of her services, as I treated her proposal to open the letter? I
was not able to do it.
The truth is, I was so touched by her devotion to me, that I could not
prevail on myself to mortify her by a refusal. I believe there may be a
good reason for the distrust of the doctor which possesses her so
strongly; and I feel the importance of having this faithful and
determined woman for an ally. Let me hope that Mr. Vimpany's return (if
it is to take place) may be delayed until you can safely write, with
your own hand, such a letter of wise advice as I sadly need.