’Oh, very well, doctor.  At any rate, you are a brick, I will say that.  But I’ll think of this, I’ll think of it; but it does startle me to find that poor Mary has a child living so near to me.’

’And now, Scatcherd, I will say good-bye.  We part as friends, don’t we?’

’Oh, but doctor, you ain’t going to leave me so.  What am I to do?  What doses shall I take?  How much brandy may I drink?  May I have a grill for dinner?  D——­ me, doctor, you have turned Fillgrave out of the house.  You mustn’t go and desert me.’

Dr Thorne laughed, and then, sitting himself down to write medically, gave such prescriptions and ordinances as he found to be necessary.  They announced but to this:  that the man was to drink, if possible, no brandy; and if that were not possible, then as little as might be.

This having been done, the doctor again proceeded to take his leave; but when he got to the door he was called back.  ’Thorne!  Thorne!  About that money for Mr Gresham; do what you like, do just what you like.  Ten thousand is it?  Well, he shall have it.  I’ll make Winterbones write about it at once.  Five per cent., isn’t it?  No, four and a half.  Well, he shall have ten thousand more.’

’Thank you, Scatcherd, thank you, I am really very much obliged to you, I am indeed.  I wouldn’t ask it if I was not sure your money is safe.  Good-bye, old fellow, and get rid of that bedfellow of yours,’ and again he was at the door.

‘Thorne,’ said Sir Roger once more.  ’Thorne, just come back for a minute.  You wouldn’t let me send a present would you—­fifty pounds or so,—­just to buy a few flounces?’

The doctor contrived to escape without giving a definite answer to this question; and then, having paid his compliments to Lady Scatcherd, remounted his cob and rode back to Greshamsbury.

CHAPTER XIV

SENTENCE OF EXILE

Dr Thorne did not at once go home to his own house.  When he reached the Greshamsbury gates, he sent his horse to its own stable by one of the people at the lodge, and then walked on to the mansion.  He had to see the squire on the subject of the forthcoming loan, and he had also to see the Lady Arabella.

The Lady Arabella, though she was not personally attached to the doctor with quite so much warmth as some others of her family, still had reasons of her own for not dispensing with his visits to the house.  She was one of his patients, and a patient fearful of the disease with which she was threatened.  Though she thought the doctor to be arrogant, deficient as to properly submissive demeanour towards herself, an instigator to marital parsimony in her lord, one altogether opposed to herself and her interest in Greshamsbury politics, nevertheless she did feel trust in him as a medical man.  She had no wish to be rescued out of his hands by any Dr Fillgrave, as regarded that complaint of hers, much as she may have desired, and did desire, to sever him from all Greshamsbury councils in all matters not touching the healing art.