Not only did her position and the obligations
they were under give her weight, but her character had consolidated
itself in these years, and she had much more force, and appearance of
good sense. Besides, John was a weight in the family now, and his
feeling for his aunt was not without effect. They talked of his
prospects and of Jessie's marriage, over their early tea. The elders
of the walking party came in with hands full of flowers, namely, the
two Johns and Eleanor, but ominously enough, Bobus was not there. He
had been lost sight of soon after they had met.
Yes, and at that moment he was loitering at a safe distance from the
door of the now invalid and half-blind Mrs. Coffinkey, to whom the
Brownlow girls read by turns. She lived conveniently up a lane not
much frequented. This was the colloquy which ensued when the tall,
well-proportioned maiden, with her fresh, modest, happy face, tripped
down the steps:—-
"So the Coffinkey is unlocked at last! Stern Proserpine relented!"
"Robert! You here?"
"You never used to call me Robert."
"Mamma says it is time to leave off the other."
"Perhaps she would like you to call me Mr. Robert Otway Brownlow."
"Don't talk of mamma in that way."
"I would do anything my queen tells me except command my tones when
there is an attempt to stiffen her.
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