Lady Merrifield looked very pale, and squeezed her sister close in her arms as she said—–­

‘You are my great help, Jenny.’

‘And must you go?’

‘Yes, certainly.’

‘Without waiting to hear more?’

’There is no use in losing time.  I cannot cross from Folkestone till the day after to-morrow, at night.  I must go to London to-morrow, and sleep at Mrs. Merrifield’s.’

‘But this does not seem to me so very bad.’

‘Oh, no, no! but when I get there in three weeks’ time, it will be just when I shall be most wanted.  The nursing will have told on the girls, and Jasper will be feeling weary of being laid up, and wanting to take liberties.’

‘And what will you be after such a journey?’

’Just up to keeping him in order.  Come, you have too much sense to expostulate, Jenny.’

’No; you would wear yourself to fiddle-strings if you stayed at home.  I only want you to take Hal, or Macrae.’

’Hal is out of the question, I would not interfere with his preparation on any account.  Macrae would be a very costly article; and, moreover, I want him to act major-domo here, unless you would, and that I don’t dare to hope for.’

’No, you must not, Lily; Ada never feels well here, nor always at Brighton, and Emily would be too nervous to have her without me.  But we will take as many children as you please, or we have room for.’

’That is like you, Jenny.  I know William will offer to take them in at home, but I cannot send them without Miss Vincent; and she cannot leave her mother, who has had a sort of stroke.  Otherwise I should try leaving them here while I am away, but the poor old lady is in no state for it—–­in fact, I doubt her living long.’

’I know; you have been governess by yourself these last weeks; it will be well to relieve her.  The best way will be for us to take Mysie and Valetta, and let them go to the High School; and there is a capital day-school for little boys, close to St. Andrew’s, for Fergus, and Gillian can go there too, or join classes in whatever she pleases.’

‘My Brownie!  Have you really room for all those?’

’Oh yes!  The three girls in the spare room and dressing-room, and Fergus in the little room over the porch.  I will write to Fanny; I gave her a hint.’

’And I have no doubt that Primrose will be a delight to her aunt Alethea, poor little dear!  Yes, that makes it all easy, for in the holidays I know the boys are sure of a welcome at the dear old home, or Hal might have one or two of them at his Curacy.’

The gong sounded for the melancholy dinner that had to go on all the same, and in the midst all were startled by the arrival of a telegram, which Macrae, looking awestruck, actually delivered to Harry instead of to his mistress; but it was not from Ceylon.  It was from Colonel Mohun, from Beechcroft:  ’Coming 6.30.  Going with you.  Send children here.’