Sir Charles and Lady Bassett had a thousand things to tell each other,
to murmur in each other's ears, sitting lovingly close to each other.
But when all was quiet, and everybody else was in bed, Lady Bassett
plucked up courage and said, "Charles, I am not quite happy. There is
one thing wanting." And then she hid her face in her hands and blushed.
"I cannot nurse him."
"Never mind," said Sir Charles kindly.
"You forgive me?"
"Forgive you, my poor girl! Why, is that a crime?"
"It leads to so many things. You don't know what a plague a nurse is,
and makes one jealous."
"Well, but it is only for a time. Come, Bella, this is a little
peevish. Don't let us be ungrateful to Heaven. As for me, while you and
our child live, I am proof against much greater misfortunes than that."
Then Lady Bassett cleared up, and the subject dropped.
But it was renewed next morning in a more definite form.
Sir Charles rose early; and in the pride and joy of his heart, and not
quite without an eye to triumphing over his mortal enemy and his cold
friends, sent a mounted messenger with orders to his servants to
prepare for his immediate reception, and to send out his landau and
four horses to the "Rose," at Staveleigh, half-way between Huntercombe
and the place where he now was.
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