The old gentleman had passed a miserable week. First his wifes illness, so dreadful and beyond all human commiseration, and then her death, and the gloom of the house, and the excitement of the funeral, and the neglect of everything that made life bearable to him. It is true, that his soup and his wine and whatever food was allowed to him were supplied regularly, and no actual breach of his comforts
had occurred. But his room had been darkened, and his backgammon had been stopped, and there had been no cheerful faces round him. Even little Osys company had been taken away. The child had been stated to be too much for him. Parsons and Dunning had held him in their hands and administered him, and they were both determined that he should do and say nothing that was not appropriate to his bereaved condition. The old man was not insensible to his wifes death. It brought into his mind that sense of utter desolation, that chill sensation of an approaching end, which is, alas! not more palatable in many cases to an old man than to a young one. And Parsons and Dunning both thought it the most appropriate thing for him to sit alone and think of his latter end. But Sir Giles was not of that opinion. His old life was strong in him, though it was hampered with so many troubles. He wanted, rather, to forget that death was waiting for him, too, round the next corner. Who could tell how far off that next corner might be? He wanted to forget, not to be shut up helplessly with that thought alone. And Mrs. Osborne, with all the prejudices and bonds of the household upon her, had not had courage to break through the lines which had been formed around her uncle. She had believed, as it was the law of the family to believe, that Sir Giles faithful attendant knew best. And thus it was, that when the young woman who was Gervases wife came boldly in a young person who was not afraid of Dunning, a stranger bringing a little novelty, a little stir of something unaccustomed into his life he looked up with a kind of light in his dull eye, and relief in his mind. Oh! you are Patience, are you? he said. Patience! it is a queer sort of a name, and I think I remember to have heard it before.
Oh, poor Miss Hewitt, in her red and yellow bonnet! If she had but known that this faint deposit of recollection was all that remained in her old lovers mind!
But I should like you to call me Patty, Sir Giles. She went down on her knees at his feet, while the old gentleman looked on in wonder, not knowing what was going to happen. You have not got that bandage quite straight, she said, and Im sure youre not so comfortable as you ought to be. I can put it on better than that. Look you here, Gervase, hold the candle, and in a minute Ill settle it all right.
Sir Giles was so much taken by surprise that he made no opposition; and he was amused and pleased by her silent movements, her soft touch and manipulation. The novelty pleased him, and the young head bent over his suffering foot, the pretty hair, the pleasant shape, were all much more gratifying than Dunning. He thought he was relieved, whether he was really so or not. And he was contented, and the spell of the gloom was broken. But Im not to be settled so easy as my foot, he said. How dared you to take and marry my boy here, Mrs. Patty, or whatever your name is, without saying a word to me?
Mrs. Gervase Piercey, or Mrs. Piercey, as she henceforward called herself, walked that night into the great state-room in Greyshott where Sally Fletcher awaited her, trembling, bringing Patty Hewitts small wardrobe roughly packed in one small box with the air of a conqueror, victorious along all the line.
CHAPTER XXIX
Colonel Piercey, somewhat stiffly which was his nature, for he had not the understanding of human weakness which brings indulgence, and he could not forget that a few days before the old man had begged him with tears to stay answered that he was glad to leave his uncle so much better and more satisfied about his son.
Oh, said Sir Giles, about satisfied I dont know, I dont know; I cant tell you at this moment, Gerald. She speaks fair, but then shes on her promotion,
dont you see? Anyhow, shes young, and perhaps shell learn; and shes nice-looking and speaks not so badly for a girl without education; not so badly, does she, Gerald? Well do; oh, I think well do. Shell look after Gervase, and keep him off me. And thats a great thing, dont you see? Though when I think what his mother would have said Lord bless me, I tremble when I think what his mother would have said. She never would have borne it. She would have turned the house upside down and made everybody miserable; which makes me feel that being as it had to be, its perhaps better better, Gerald, though its a hard thing to say, that his mother went first, went without knowing. You will say she suspected; and I believe she did suspect; she was a penetrating woman; but suspectings not so bad as knowing; and Im Im almost glad, poor soul, that shes gone. She would never have put up with it. And now this one may make something of Gervase who knows? It is a kind of anxiety off my mind. Time for your train? the old gentleman added cheerfully. Well, thank you for your visit, my boy; Ive enjoyed it and come again, come soon again.