Part 59 (2/2)

Sir Charles was a little staggered. He put this and that together, and said, ”Why, she must have been playing the fool, then?”

”Hus.h.!.+ not so loud, dear. She is a married woman now, and her husband gone to sea, and her child dead. Most wet-nurses have a child of their own; and don't you think they must hate the stranger's child that parts them from their own? Now baby is a comfort to Mary. And the wet-nurse is always a tyrant; and I thought, as this one has got into a habit of obeying me, she might be more manageable; and then as to her having been imprudent, I know many ladies who have been obliged to shut their eyes a little. Why, consider, Charles, would good wives and good mothers leave their own children to nurse a stranger's? Would their husbands let them? And I thought,” said she, piteously, ”we were so fortunate to get a young, healthy girl, imprudent but not vicious, whose fault had been covered by marriage, and then so attached to us both as she is, poor thing!”

Sir Charles was in no humor to make mountains of mole-hills. ”Why, my dear Bella,” said he, ”after all, this is your department, not mine.”

”Yes, but unless I please you in every department there is no happiness for me.”

”But you know you please me in everything; and the more I look into anything, the wiser I always think you. You have chosen the best wet-nurse possible. Send her to me.”

Lady Ba.s.sett hesitated. ”You will be kind to her. You know the consequence if anything happens to make her fret. Baby will suffer for it.”

”Oh, I know. Catch me offending this she potentate till he is weaned.

Dress for the journey, my dear, and send nurse to me.”

Lady Ba.s.sett went into the next room, and after a long time Mary came to Sir Charles with baby in her arms.

Mary had lost for a time some of her ruddy color, but her skin was clearer, and somehow her face was softened. She looked really a beautiful and attractive young woman.

She courtesied to Sir Charles, and then took a good look at him.

”Well, nurse,” said he, cheerfully, ”here we are back again, both of us.”

”That we be, sir.” And she showed her white teeth in a broad smile.

”La, sir, you be a sight for sore eyes. How well you do look, to be sure!”

”Thank you, Mary. I never was better in my life. You look pretty well too; only a little pale; paler than Lady Ba.s.sett does.”

”I give my color to the child,” said Mary, simply.

She did not know she had said anything poetic; but Sir Charles was so touched and pleased with her answer that he gave her a five-pound note on the spot; and he said, ”We'll bring your color back if beef and beer and kindness can do it.”

”I ain't afeard o' that, sir; and I'll arn it. 'Tis a lovely boy, sir, and your very image.”

Inspection followed; and something or other offended young master; he began to cackle. But this nurse did not take him away, as Mrs. Millar had. She just sat down with him and nursed him openly, with rustic composure and simplicity.

Sir Charles leaned his arm on the mantel-piece, and eyed the pair; for all this was a new world of feeling to him. His paid servant seemed to him to be playing the mother to his child. Somehow it gave him a strange twinge, a sort of vicarious jealousy: he felt for his Bella.

But I think his own paternal pride, in all its freshness, was hurt a little too.

At last he shrugged his shoulders, and was going out of the room, with a hint to Mary that she must wrap herself up, for it would be an open carriage--

”Your own carriage, sir, and horses?”

”Certainly.”

”And do all the folk know as we are coming?”

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