she is very fond of you.' 'If I may,' said Molly, unconsciously glancing at her stepmother.She had an uncomfortable instinct that, in spite of Mrs Gibson's own perpetual flow of words, she could, and did, hear everything that fell from Molly's lips.'Do you want any more books?' said he.'If you do, make a list out, and send it to my mother before I leave, next Tuesday.After I am gone, there will be no one to go into the library and pick them out.' After they were gone, Mrs Gibson began her usual comments on the departed visitors.'I do like that Osborne Hamley! What a nice fellow he is! Somehow, I always do like eldest sons.He will have the estate, won't he? I shall ask your dear papa to encourage him to come about the house.He will be a very good, very pleasant acquaintance for you and Cynthia.The other is but a loutish young fellow, to my mind; there is no aristocratic bearing about him.Isuppose he takes after his mother, who is but a parvenue, I've heard them say at the Towers.' Molly was spiteful enough to have great pleasure in saying, - 'I think I've heard her father was a Russia merchant, and imported tallow and hemp.Mr Osborne Hamley is extremely like her.' 'Indeed! But there's no calculating these things.Anyhow, he is the perfect gentleman in appearance and manner.The estate is entailed, is it not?' 'I know nothing about it,' said Molly.A short silence ensued.Then Mrs Gibson said, - 'Do you know, I almost think I must get dear papa to give a little dinner-party, and ask Mr Osborne Hamley? I should like to have him feel at home in this house.It would be something cheerful for him after the dulness and solitude of Hamley Hall.For the old people don't visit much, I believe?' 'He's going back to Cambridge next week,' said Molly.'Is he? Well, then, we'll put off our little dinner till Cynthia comes home.I should like to have some young society for her, poor darling, when she returns.' 'When is she coming?' said Molly, who had always a longing curiosity for this same Cynthia's return.'Oh! I'm not sure; perhaps at the new year - perhaps not till Easter.Imust get this drawing-room all new furnished first; and then I mean to fit up her room and yours just alike.They are just the same size, only on opposite sides of the passage.' 'Are you going to new-furnish that room?' said Molly, in astonishment at the never-ending changes.'Yes; and yours, too, darling; so don't be jealous." 'Oh, please, mamma, not mine,' said Molly, taking in the idea for the first time.'Yes, dear! You shall have yours done as well.A little French bed,' and a new paper, and a pretty carpet, and a dressed-up toilette -table and glass, will make it look quite a different place.' 'But I don't want it to look different.I like it as it is.Pray don't do anything to it.' 'What nonsense, child! I never heard anything more ridiculous! Most girls would be glad to get rid of furniture only fit for the lumber-room.' 'It was my own mamma's before she was married,' said Molly, in a very low voice; bringing out this last plea unwillingly, but with a certainty that it would not be resisted.Mrs Gibson paused for a moment before she replied, - 'It's very much to your credit that you should have such feelings, I'm sure.But don't you think sentiment may be carried too far? Why, we should have no new furniture at all, and should have to put up with worm-eaten horrors.Besides, my dear, Hollingford will seem very dull to Cynthia, after pretty, gay France, and I want to make the first impressions attractive.
I've a notion I can settle her down near here; and I want her to come in a good temper; for, between ourselves, my dear, she is a little, leetle wilful.You need not mention this to your papa.' 'But can't you do Cynthia's room, and not mine? Please let mine alone.' 'No, indeed! I couldn't agree to that.Only think what would be said of me by everybody; petting my own child, and neglecting my husband's! I couldn't bear it.' 'No one need know.' 'In such a tittle-tattle place as Hollingford! Really, Molly, you are either very stupid or very obstinate, or else you don't care what hard things may be said about me: and all for a selfish fancy of your own! No! I owe myself the justice of acting in this matter as I please.Every one shall know I'm not a common stepmother.Every penny I spend on Cynthia I shall spend on you too; so it's no use talking any more about it.' So Molly's little white dimity bed, her old-fashioned chest of drawers, and her other cherished relics of her mother's maiden-days, were consigned to the lumber-room; and after a while, when Cynthia and her great French boxes had come home, the old furniture that had filled up the space required for the fresh importation of trunks, disappeared into the lumber-room.All this time the family at the Towers had been absent; Lady Cumnor had been ordered to Bath for the early part of the winter, and her family were with her there.On dull rainy days, Mrs Gibson used to bethink her of missing 'the Cumnors,' for so she had taken to calling them since her position had become more independent of theirs.It marked a distinction between her intimacy in the family, and the reverential manner in which the townspeople were accustomed to speak of 'the earl and the countess.' both Lady Cumnor and Lady Harriet wrote to their dear Clare from time to time.The former had generally some commissions that she wished to have executed at the Towers, or in the town; and no one could do them so well as Clare, who was acquainted with all the tastes and ways of the countess.These commissions were the cause of various bills for flys and cars from the 'George' Inn.
