We had remained in the cottage for some months after my own marriage, very undecided what we should do.  Bramble did not like to quit the seaside, nor, I believe his old habits and localities.  Money was of little value to him; indeed, on my marriage, he had insisted upon settling upon Bessy and her children the whole sum he had received for the salvage of the Dutch Indiaman, reserving for himself his farm near Deal.  It did so happen, however, that about that period, while we were still in perplexity, I received a letter from Mr. Wilson’s son, at Dover, telling me that the manor-house and three hundred acres of land, adjoining to Bramble’s farm, were to be disposed of.  This exactly suited, so I made the purchase and took possession, and then sent for my father to join us, which he hastened to do.  Bramble did not, however, give up his cottage on the beach.  He left Mrs. Maddox in it, and it was a favorite retirement for my father and him, who would remain there for several days together, amusing themselves with watching the shipping, and gaining intelligence from the various pilots as they landed, as they smoked their pipes on the shingle beach.  It was not more than half a mile from the great house, so that it was very convenient; and Bessy and I would often go with the children and indulge in reminiscences of the former scenes which had there occurred.

My father and mother parted very good friends.  The fact was that she was pleased with the arrangement, as she did not like my father wearing a pensioner’s coat, and did not want his company at her own house.  When he left the hospital, she insisted upon paying him his rent; and she did so very punctually until she gave up business.  On her marriage, my sister requested that we would come to Leamington and be present; to which we all consented, particularly as it was a good opportunity of introducing Bessy to her and Lady O’Connor.  My mother was also to join the party on the occasion.  The only circumstance worth mentioning was the surprise of my mother on being introduced to Lady O’Connor, and finding that in this great lady she met with her old acquaintance, Mrs. St. Felix.  Whatever she may have felt, she certainly had tact enough to conceal it, and was as warm in her congratulations as the best well-wisher.  I must say that I never knew my mother appear to such advantage as she did during this visit to Leamington.  She dressed remarkably well, and would have persuaded those who did not know her history that she had always been in good society; but she had been a lady’s maid and had learned her mistress’s airs, and as she could dress others so well, it would have been odd if she did not know how to dress herself.  A good copy will often pass for an original.  It was not till about six years after our marriage that my mother decided upon retiring from business.  She had made a very comfortable provision for herself, as Mr. Wilson informed me, and took up her abode at Cheltenham, where she lived in a very genteel way,