The child is right enough when one comes to think of it; and for my
part, I should be glad that poor Mr. Amyas had some one young and
cheerful about him. It is only a pity his nephew, the young baronet,
never comes down to see him."
"Like mother like son," said Mrs. Phoebe; "I grieve to think what
the old place will come to."
"Well," said Mrs. Hunter, "I do not hear the young gentleman ill
spoken of; though, more's the pity, he is in a bad school with
Colonel Mar for his commanding officer, the fine gallant who is
making his mother the talk of the town!"
The gossip and scandal then waxed fast and furious on the authority
of Mrs. Hunter's sister, but no one paid any more attention to
Aurelia, except that when there was an adjournment to the next room,
she was treated with such double stiffness and ceremony as to make
her feel that she had given great offence, and was highly disapproved
of by all but Mrs. Hunter. And Aurelia could not like her, for her
gossip had been far broader and coarser than that of the Mistresses
Treforth, who, though more bitter were more of gentlewomen. Happily
much of what passed was perfectly unintelligible to Betty's carefully
shielded pupil, who sat all the time with the cat on her lap, listening
to its purring music, but feeling much more inclined to believe nothing
against my Lady, after her father's example, than to agree with those
who were so evidently prejudiced.
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