Had she been overcome with weariness?
Had she slept and dreamt?
One of the children stirred and uttered a little wailing sound. She
stepped lightly to the bedside, bent for a moment, saw that all was
well again, and came back on tip-toe. The simple duty had quieted
her throbbing heart. She seated herself as before.
'What about the country house now?' said Richard.
'I don't know what to say. It's more than I can take into my head.'
'You're not going to say, like mother did, that it was the worst
piece of news she'd ever heard?'
'Your mother said that?'
Emma was startled. Had her thought passed lightly over some danger?
She examined her mind rapidly.
'I suppose she said it,' Richard explained, 'just because she didn't
know what else to say, that's about the truth. But there certainly
is one thing I'm a little anxious about, myself. I don't care for
either Alice or 'Arry to know the details of this windfall. They
won't come in for their share till they're of age, and it's just as
well they should think it's only a moderate little sum. So don't
talk about it, Emma.'
The girl was still musing on Mrs. Mutimer's remark; she merely shook
her head.
'You didn't think you were going to marry a man with his thousands
and be a lady? Well, I shall have more to say in a day or two.
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