Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 2.djvu/334

324 sprang out, and went down the park to meet the gentlemen, who were just returning from the woods. Of course I did not follow.

But I had not done with her impudence yet:—after dinner, I retired to the drawing-room, as usual, and she accompanied me, but I had the two children with me, and I gave them my whole attention, and determined to keep them till the gentlemen came, or till Milicent arrived with her mother. Little Helen, however, was soon tired of playing, and insisted upon going to sleep; and while I sat on the sofa with her on my knee, and Arthur seated beside me, gently playing with her soft, flaxen hair,—Lady Lowborough composedly came and placed herself on the other side.

"To-morrow, Mrs. Huntingdon," said she, "you will be delivered from my presence, which, no doubt, you will be very glad of—it is natural you should;—but do you know I have rendered you a great service?—Shall I tell you what it is?"

"I shall be glad to hear of any service you