take one of my inflammations—my lungs are so delicate, so wretchedly delicate—they give me Old Scratch at the least hint of a chill. Alas, I fear I am a sad invalid! ”
Since Jenny was as robust as a shire horse and had never, to Delphie ’ s knowledge, suffered a day ’ s illness in her life, the latter gazed at her wide-eyed after this statement, and received a very innocent look in return.
The second of the three men remarked calmly,
“ Certainly you should change your garments, ma ’ am, and that without delay. Even on a mild day like this, some harm might accrue. Fidd, see to it, will you? Direct one of the maidservants to make ready a suitable bedchamber; lead these ladies to it, and make sure that a fire is lit, hot water brought up, and suitable refreshment is offered to them. ”
“ Certainly, Mr. Fitzjohn, ” said the third man, who was elderly, white-haired, and wore the uniform of an upper servant. “ Would you care to follow me, ma ’ am? ” he said to Jenny.
“ Oh yes—but I need my bag from the coach ” uttered Jenny in failing accents, “ for all my dry things are in it. Could you get it out, Bodkin? ”
“ Surely, miss, ” said Bodkin, wooden-faced. “ I ’ ll just carry it in, shall I? ”
“ Yes—and you had best bring Miss Carteret ’ s too—in case there is anything I lack. You do not object, dear Miss Carteret, do you? ”
“ Of course not, ” said Delphie, but her response was lost in the bustle, as Mr. Fitzjohn, remarking, “ I had better take your arm, ma ’ am, ” escorted Jenny carefully across the bridge, she clinging to him, looking fearfully down at the water, and letting out little nervous cries at every step.
Mr. Fitzjohn seemed completely at home in Chase, and Delphie, following thoughtfully behind the pair, at the side of the dark-haired man, wondered if he were a member of the family—as seemed possible from the assured tone of his orders to t he servant — or merely a member of the household. He was a stocky, thickset personage, of considerable height, but appearing shorter because of his broad shoulders. His countenance was square and somewhat tacitu rn -looking, though not unhandsome; his eyes were light blue and extremely piercing, his complexion both freckled and lightly tanned, his thick hair of a sandy hue.
While they were crossing the grass, Delphie murmured some awkward commonplaces as to her gratitude—the unfortunate accident—their regret for the imposition they were causing—but these were received with such dour grunts by her black-browed companion that she set him down as a churlish boor and abandoned her attempts at conciliation.
The party ascended the steps to the front door and entered a large, cold, stone-paved entrance hall, adorned with a diversity of stags ’ antlers and foxes ’ masks along its walls, but hardly furnished at all. Five or six large, melancholy, molting hounds lay about on the paving stones, as if they had nothing to do, and greatly regretted the circumstance.
“ Here we will leave you in Fidd ’ s charge, ” remarked Mr. Fitzjohn, removing his hand, with some relief, Delphie thought, from Jenny ’ s damp velvet arm. “ Fidd, look after the ladies as well as you can. Pray send word, ma ’ am, should there be anything further you require, or think we could supply. ”
“ Thank you; you are extremely kind, ” said Philadelphia, immensely embarrassed by this whole sequence of events. “ I cannot say how much I regret—I am sure we need nothing— ”
“ Perhaps a doctor? ” faltered Miss Baggott in dying accents. “ After such a prolonged immersion I am afraid my lungs— ” She coughed again several times, and then gasped, “ My poor mother would wish me to see a doctor, I am sure. ”
As Mrs. Baggott had lain in Highgate Cemetery for the past twelve years this seemed a doubtful assumption, but Mr. Fitzjohn rejoined impassively,
“ By all means, ma ’ am. There will not be the least
Since Jenny was as robust as a shire horse and had never, to Delphie ’ s knowledge, suffered a day ’ s illness in her life, the latter gazed at her wide-eyed after this statement, and received a very innocent look in return.
The second of the three men remarked calmly,
“ Certainly you should change your garments, ma ’ am, and that without delay. Even on a mild day like this, some harm might accrue. Fidd, see to it, will you? Direct one of the maidservants to make ready a suitable bedchamber; lead these ladies to it, and make sure that a fire is lit, hot water brought up, and suitable refreshment is offered to them. ”
“ Certainly, Mr. Fitzjohn, ” said the third man, who was elderly, white-haired, and wore the uniform of an upper servant. “ Would you care to follow me, ma ’ am? ” he said to Jenny.
“ Oh yes—but I need my bag from the coach ” uttered Jenny in failing accents, “ for all my dry things are in it. Could you get it out, Bodkin? ”
“ Surely, miss, ” said Bodkin, wooden-faced. “ I ’ ll just carry it in, shall I? ”
“ Yes—and you had best bring Miss Carteret ’ s too—in case there is anything I lack. You do not object, dear Miss Carteret, do you? ”
“ Of course not, ” said Delphie, but her response was lost in the bustle, as Mr. Fitzjohn, remarking, “ I had better take your arm, ma ’ am, ” escorted Jenny carefully across the bridge, she clinging to him, looking fearfully down at the water, and letting out little nervous cries at every step.
Mr. Fitzjohn seemed completely at home in Chase, and Delphie, following thoughtfully behind the pair, at the side of the dark-haired man, wondered if he were a member of the family—as seemed possible from the assured tone of his orders to t he servant — or merely a member of the household. He was a stocky, thickset personage, of considerable height, but appearing shorter because of his broad shoulders. His countenance was square and somewhat tacitu rn -looking, though not unhandsome; his eyes were light blue and extremely piercing, his complexion both freckled and lightly tanned, his thick hair of a sandy hue.
While they were crossing the grass, Delphie murmured some awkward commonplaces as to her gratitude—the unfortunate accident—their regret for the imposition they were causing—but these were received with such dour grunts by her black-browed companion that she set him down as a churlish boor and abandoned her attempts at conciliation.
The party ascended the steps to the front door and entered a large, cold, stone-paved entrance hall, adorned with a diversity of stags ’ antlers and foxes ’ masks along its walls, but hardly furnished at all. Five or six large, melancholy, molting hounds lay about on the paving stones, as if they had nothing to do, and greatly regretted the circumstance.
“ Here we will leave you in Fidd ’ s charge, ” remarked Mr. Fitzjohn, removing his hand, with some relief, Delphie thought, from Jenny ’ s damp velvet arm. “ Fidd, look after the ladies as well as you can. Pray send word, ma ’ am, should there be anything further you require, or think we could supply. ”
“ Thank you; you are extremely kind, ” said Philadelphia, immensely embarrassed by this whole sequence of events. “ I cannot say how much I regret—I am sure we need nothing— ”
“ Perhaps a doctor? ” faltered Miss Baggott in dying accents. “ After such a prolonged immersion I am afraid my lungs— ” She coughed again several times, and then gasped, “ My poor mother would wish me to see a doctor, I am sure. ”
As Mrs. Baggott had lain in Highgate Cemetery for the past twelve years this seemed a doubtful assumption, but Mr. Fitzjohn rejoined impassively,
“ By all means, ma ’ am. There will not be the least
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