Westlake with reserve.
'Most skilfully done, no doubt,' rejoined the lady.
But at the end of the year, the Westlakes returned to London, the
Boscobels shortly after. Mrs. Waltham and her daughter had made no
other close connections, and Adela's health alone allowed of her
leaving the house for a short drive on sunny days. At the end of
February the child was born prematurely; it entered the world only
to leave it again. For a week they believed that Adela would die.
Scarcely was she pronounced out of danger by the end of March. But
after that she recovered strength.
May saw her at Wanley once more. She had become impatient to return.
The Parliamentary elections were very near at hand, and Mutimer
almost lived in Belwick; it seemed to Adela that duty required her
to be near him, as well as to supply his absence from New Wanley as
much as was possible. She was still only the ghost of her former
self, but disease no longer threatened her, and activity alone could
completely restore her health. She was anxious to recommence her
studies, to resume her readings to the children; and she desired to
see Mr. Wyvern. She understood by this time why he had chosen
Andersen's Tales for her readings; of many other things which he had
said, causing her doubt, the meaning was now clear enough to her.
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