Page:Traits and Trials.pdf/33

Rh received. To think that they should only hear of his marriage from the newspapers! The same post brought also letters to his steward and house-keeper, directing certain preparations to be made for the reception of himself and his bride, who were to arrive after a fortnight's tour. All was consternation in his own house: the servants, who, for two years, had been accustomed to have pretty well their own way, exceedingly disapproved of their master's marrying. Selfishness is hypocritical by nature, and seizes on the first decent excuse as a cloak; so their discontent took the shape of pity for the two poor children, who were to be subjected to all the tyranny of a step-mother. The house-keeper was the first to communicate the intelligence, and she sent an invitation to the nurse for herself and the twins to drink tea. This was a compliment to Eda, who was a sort of rival potentate, as absolute over her nursery as the other was over her own more extensive domain. Contrary to the established rule on such occasions there was no jealousy