CHAPTER X. ELLEN'S MAGNUM BONUMS.
He put in his thumb
And he pulled out a plum,
And cried, "What a good boy am I!"
Jack Horner.
Whether it were from the effects of the warnings, or from that of
native good sense, from that time forward Mrs. Joseph Brownlow
sobered down, and became less distressing to her sister-in-law.
Mary carried off her brother to Wales, and the Acton and Ray party
dispersed, while Dr. and Mrs. Lucas came for a week, giving much
relief to Mrs. Brownlow, who could discuss the family affairs with
them in a manner she deemed unbecoming with Mrs. Acton or Miss
Ogilvie. Had Caroline heard the consultation, she would have
acquitted Ellen of malice; and indeed her Serene Highness was much
too good to gossip about so near a connection, and had only confided
her wonder and perplexity at the strange phenomenon to her favourite
first cousin, who unfortunately was not equally discreet.
With the end of the holidays finished also the trying series of first
anniversaries, and their first excitements of sorrow, so that it
became possible to be more calm and quiet.
Moreover, two correctives came of themselves to Caroline. The first
was Janet's inordinate correspondence with Nita Ray, and the
discovery that the girl held herself engaged to stay with the sisters
in November.
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