Part 50 (2/2)
”Yes, we were sorry too,” replied Maria, her eyelashes resting on her hot cheek. ”It could not be helped.”
”But how did it happen?”
”It was my own fault; not _intentionally_, you know, mamma. It occurred the day after we reached Homburg. I and George were out walking and we met the Verralls. We turned with them, and then I had not hold of George's arm. Something was amiss in the street, a great heap of stones and earth and rubbish; and, to avoid a carriage that came by, I stepped upon it. And, somehow I slipped off. I did not appear to have hurt myself: but I suppose it shook me.”
”You met the Verralls at Homburg?” cried Mrs. Hastings, in surprise.
”Yes. Did George not mention it when he wrote? They are at Homburg still. Unless they have now left it.”
”George never puts a superfluous word into his letters,” said Mrs.
Hastings, with a smile. ”He says just what he has to say, and no more.
He mentioned that you were not well, and therefore some little delay might take place in the return home; but he said nothing of the Verralls.”
Maria laughed. ”George never writes a long letter----”
”Who's that, taking George's name in vain?” cried George, looking round.
”It is I, George. You never told mamma, when you wrote, that the Verralls were with us at Homburg.”
”I'm sure I don't remember whether I did or not,” said George.
”The Verralls are in Wales,” observed Mr. Hastings.
”Then they have travelled to it pretty quickly,” observed George. ”When I and Maria quitted Homburg we left them in it. They had been there a month.”
Not one present but looked up with surprise. ”The impression in Prior's Ash is, that they are in Wales,” observed Thomas G.o.dolphin. ”It is the answer given by the servants to all callers at Lady G.o.dolphin's Folly.”
”They are certainly at Homburg; whatever the servants may say,”
persisted George. ”The servants are labouring under a mistake.”
”It is a curious mistake for the servants to make, though,” observed the Rector, in a dry, caustic tone.
”I think the Verralls are curious people altogether,” said Bessy G.o.dolphin.
”I don't know but they are,” a.s.sented George. ”But Verrall is a thoroughly good-hearted man, and I shall always speak up for him.”
That evening George and his wife dined alone. George was standing over the fire after dinner, when Maria came and stood near him. He put out his arm and drew her to his side.
”It seems so strange, George--being in this house with you, all alone,”
she whispered.
”Stranger than being my wife, Maria?”
”Oh, but I have got used to that.” And George G.o.dolphin laughed: she spoke so simply and naturally.
”You will get used in time to this being your home, my darling.”
<script>