Then her spirit was altogether
crushed by the loss of Archie, she never had another day's health.
Eugene came to her like Ichabod to Phinehas' wife, and she was soon
gone from us," said Betty, wiping away a tear.
"Leaving us a dear sister to be a mother to us," said Aurelia, raising
her sweet face for a kiss.
Harriet pondered a little, and said, "My Lady is not at enmity with
us, since my father keeps the house and agency."
"We should be reduced to poverty indeed without them," said Betty;
"and Sir Jovian, an upright honourable man, the only person whom my
Lady truly respected, insisted on his continuance. As long as my
Lady regards his memory we are safe, but no one can trust to her
caprice."
"She never comes here, nor disturbs my father."
"No, but she makes heavy calls on the estate, and is displeased if he
refuses to overpress the tenants or hesitates to cut the timber."
"I have heard say," added Harriet, "that her debts in town and her
losses at play drove her to accept her present husband, Mr. Wayland, a
hideous old fellow, who had become vastly rich through some discovery
about cannon."
"He is an honourable and upright man," said Betty. "I should have
fewer anxieties if he had not been sent out to Gibraltar and Minorca
to superintend the fortifications.
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