Sheherselfremainedindoors，withoneortwoladieswhohadventuredtothinkthatthefatigueortheheatmightbetoomuchforthem，andwhohadthereforedeclinedaccompanyingtheladiesinchargeofMrsKirkpatrick，orthoseotherfavouredfewtowhomLordCumnorwasexplainingthenewbuildingsinhisfarm—yard。’Withtheutmostcondescension，’asherhearersafterwardsexpressedit，LadyCumnortoldthemallabouthermarrieddaughters’
establishments，nurseries，plansfortheeducationoftheirchildren，andmannerofpassingtheday。Buttheexertiontiredher；andwheneveryonehadleft，theprobabilityisthatshewouldhavegonetoliedownandrest，hadnotherhusbandmadeanunluckyremarkinthekindnessofhisheart。
Hecameuptoherandputhishandonhershoulder。’I’mafraidyou’resadlytired，mylady？’hesaid。Shebracedhermuscles，anddrewherselfup，sayingcoldly，—’WhenIamtired，LordCumnor，Iwilltellyouso。’Andherownfatigueshoweditselfduringtherestoftheeveninginhersittingparticularlyupright，anddecliningalloffersofeasy—chairsorfootstools，andrefusingtheinsultofasuggestionthattheyshouldallgotobedearlier。ShewentoninsomethingofthiskindofmanneraslongasLordCumnorremainedattheTowers。MrsKirkpatrickwasquitedeceivedbyit，andkeptassuringLordCumnorthatshehadneverseendearLadyCumnorlookingbetter，orsostrongandwell。Buthehadanaffectionateheart，ifablunderinghead；
andthoughhecouldgivenoreasonforhisbelief，hewasalmostcertainhiswifewasnotwell。YethewastoomuchafraidofhertosendforMrGibsonwithoutherpermission。HislastwordstoClarewere，—’It’ssuchacomforttoleavemyladytoyou；onlydon’tyoubedeludedbyherways。She’llnotshowshe’silltillshecan’thelpit。ConsultwithBradley，’（LadyCumnor’s’ownwoman，’—shedislikedthenew—fanglednessof’lady’s—maid，’）’andifIwereyou，I’dsendandaskGibsontocall—youmightmakeanykindofapretence，’—andthentheideahehadhadinLondonofthefitnessofamatchbetweenthetwocomingintohisheadjustnow，hecouldnothelpadding，—’Gethimtocomeandseeyou，he’saveryagreeableman；LordHollingfordsaysthere’snoonelikehimintheseparts：andhemightbelookingatmyladywhilehewastalkingtoyou，andseeifhethinksherreallyill。Andletmeknowwhathesaysabouther。’ButClarewasjustasgreatacowardaboutdoinganythingforLadyCumnorwhichshehadnotexpresslyordered，asLordCumnorhimself。SheknewshemightfallintosuchdisgraceifshesentforMrGibsonwithoutdirectpermission，thatshemightneverbeaskedtostayattheTowersagain；
andthelifethere，monotonousinitssmoothnessofluxuryasitmightbetosome，wasexactlytohertaste。SheinherturntriedtoputuponBradleythedutywhichLordCumnorhadputuponher。’MrsBradley，’shesaidoneday，’areyouquitecomfortableaboutmylady’shealth？LordCumnorfanciedthatshewaslookingwornandill？’’Indeed，MrsKirkpatrick，Idon’tthinkmyladyisherself。Ican’tpersuademyselfassheis，thoughifyouwastoquestionmetillnightIcouldn’ttellyouwhy。’’Don’tyouthinkyoucouldmakesomeerrandtoHollingford，andseeMrGibson，andaskhimtocomeroundthiswaysomeday，andmakeacallonLadyCumnor？’’Itwouldbeasmuchasmyplaceisworth，MrsKirkpatrick。Tillmylady’sdyingday，ifProvidencekeepsherinhersenses，she’llhaveeverythingdoneherownway，ornotatall。There’sonlyLadyHarrietthatcanmanageheratall，andshenotalways。’’Well，then—wemusthopethatthereisnothingthematterwithher；andIdaresaythereisnot。Shesaysthereisnot，andsheoughttoknowbestherself。’Butadayortwoafterthisconversationtookplace，LadyCumnorstartledMrsKirkpatrick，bysayingsuddenly，—’Clare，Iwishyou’dwriteanotetoMrGibson，saying，Ishouldliketoseehimthisafternoon。Ithoughthewouldhavecalledofhimselfbeforenow。Heoughttohavedoneso，topayhisrespects。’MrGibsonhadbeenfartoobusyinhisprofessiontohavetimeformerevisitsofceremony，thoughheknewquitewellhewasneglectingwhatwasexpectedofhim。Butthedistrictofwhichhemaybesaidtohavehadmedicalchargewasfullofabadkindoflowfever，whichtookupallhistimeandthought，andoftenmadehimverythankfulthatMollywasoutofthewayinthequietshadesofHamley。Hisdomestic’raws’hadnothealedoverintheleast，thoughhewasobligedtoputtheperplexitiesononesideforthetime。Thelastdrop—thefinalstraw，hadbeenanimpromptuvisitofLordHollingford’s，whomhehadmetinthetownoneforenoon。Theyhadhadagooddealtosaytoeachotheraboutsomenewscientificdiscovery，withthedetailsofwhichLordHollingfordwaswellacquainted，whileMrGibsonwasignorantanddeeplyinterested。