“You don’t know how Mr. Horner drags in this subject of education apropos of everything.  Not that he says much about it at any time:  it is not his way.  But he cannot let the thing alone.”

“I know why, my lady,” said Miss Galindo.  “That poor lad, Harry Gregson, will never be able to earn his livelihood in any active way, but will be lame for life.  Now, Mr. Horner thinks more of Harry than of any one else in the world,—­except, perhaps, your ladyship.”  Was it not a pretty companionship for my lady?  “And he has schemes of his own for teaching Harry; and if Mr. Gray could but have his school, Mr. Horner and he think Harry might be schoolmaster, as your ladyship would not like to have him coming to you as steward’s clerk.  I wish your ladyship would fall into this plan; Mr. Gray has it so at heart.”

Miss Galindo looked wistfully at my lady, as she said this.  But my lady only said, drily, and rising at the same time, as if to end the conversation—­

“So Mr. Horner and Mr. Gray seem to have gone a long way in advance of my consent to their plans.”

“There!” exclaimed Miss Galindo, as my lady left the room, with an apology for going away; “I have gone and done mischief with my long, stupid tongue.  To be sure, people plan a long way ahead of to-day; more especially when one is a sick man, lying all through the weary day on a sofa.”

“My lady will soon get over her annoyance,” said I, as it were apologetically.  I only stopped Miss Galindo’s self-reproaches to draw down her wrath upon myself.

“And has not she a right to be annoyed with me, if she likes, and to keep annoyed as long as she likes?  Am I complaining of her, that you need tell me that?  Let me tell you, I have known my lady these thirty years; and if she were to take me by the shoulders, and turn me out of the house, I should only love her the more.  So don’t you think to come between us with any little mincing, peace-making speeches.  I have been a mischief-making parrot, and I like her the better for being vexed with me.  So good-bye to you, Miss; and wait till you know Lady Ludlow as well as I do, before you next think of telling me she will soon get over her annoyance!” And off Miss Galindo went.

I could not exactly tell what I had done wrong; but I took care never again to come in between my lady and her by any remark about the one to the other; for I saw that some most powerful bond of grateful affection made Miss Galindo almost worship my lady.

Meanwhile, Harry Gregson was limping a little about in the village, still finding his home in Mr. Gray’s house; for there he could most conveniently be kept under the doctor’s eye, and receive the requisite care, and enjoy the requisite nourishment.  As soon as he was a little better, he was to go to Mr. Horner’s house; but, as the steward lived some distance out of the way, and was much from home, he had agreed to leave Harry at the house; to which he had first been taken, until he was quite strong again; and the more willingly, I suspect, from what I heard afterwards, because Mr. Gray gave up all the little strength of speaking which he had, to teaching Harry in the very manner which Mr. Horner most desired.