'
'Why, Lily, did not you know that he was to stay in England?'
'To stay in England? No, I never thought of that--how sorry you must
be.'
At this moment Eleanor returned, and Mr. Hawkesworth told her he had
been surprised to find Lily did not know their intentions with regard
to the baby.
'If we had any certain intentions we should have told her,' said
Eleanor; 'I did not wish to speak to her about it till we had made up
our minds.'
'Well, I know no use in mysteries,' said Mr. Hawkesworth, 'especially
when Lily may help us to decide.'
'On his going or staying?' exclaimed Lily, eagerly looking to Mr.
Hawkesworth, who was evidently more disposed to speak than his wife.
'Not on his going or staying--I am sorry to say that point was
settled long ago--but where we shall leave him.'
Lily's heart beat high, but she did not speak.
'The truth is,' proceeded Mr. Hawkesworth, 'that this young gentleman
has, as perhaps you know, a grandpapa, a grandmamma, and also six or
seven aunts. With his grandmamma he cannot be left, for sundry
reasons, unnecessary to mention. Now, one of his aunts is a staid
matronly lady, and his godmother besides, and in all respects the
person to take charge of him,--only she lives in a small house in a
town, and has plenty of babies of her own, without being troubled
with other people's.
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