'As I said before, we all know that there is nothing in it; and your having the pony chaise just at this time will make everybody see that you are quite comfortable yourself.'
'Thank you, yes; good-bye, Mrs. Arkwright.' And then she made a great effort, feeling aware that she was betraying herself, and that it behoved her to say something which might remove the suspicion which her emotion must have created. 'The very name of that lawsuit is so dreadful to me that I can hardly bear it. The memory of it is so terrible to me, that even my enemies would hardly wish that it should commence again.'
'Of course it is merely a report,' said Mrs. Arkwright, almost trembling at what she had done.
'That is all—at least I believe so, I had heard myself that some such threat had been made, but I did not think that any tidings of it had got abroad.'
'It was Mrs. Whiting told me. She is a great busybody, you know.' Mrs. Whiting was the wife of the present doctor.
'Dear Mrs. Arkwright, it does not matter in the least. Of course I do not expect that people should hold their tongue on my account. Good-bye, Mrs. Arkwright.' And then she got into the little carriage, and did contrive to drive herself home to Orley Farm.
'Dear, dear, dear, dear!' said Mrs. Arkwright to herself when she was left alone. 'Only to think of that; that she should be knocked in a heap by a few words—in a moment, as we may say.' And then she began to consider of the matter, 'I wonder what there is in it! There must be something, or she would never have looked so like a ghost. What will they do if Orley Farm is taken away from them after all!' And then Mrs, Arkwright hurried out on her daily little toddle through the town, that she might talk about this and be talked to on the same subject. She was by no means an ill-natured woman, nor was she at all inclined to direct against Lady Mason any slight amount of venom which might alloy her disposition. But then the matter was of such importance! The people of Hamworth had hardly yet ceased to talk of the last Orley Farm trial; and would it not be necessary that they should talk much more if a new trial were really pending? Looking at the matter in that light, would not such a trial be a godsend to the people of Hamworth? Therefore I beg that it may not be imputed to Mrs. Arkwright as a fault that she toddled out and sought eagerly for her gossips.
Lady Mason did manage to drive herself home; but her success in the matter was more owing to the good faith and propriety of her pony, than to any skilful workmanship on her own part. Her first desire had been to get away from Mrs. Arkwright, and having made that effort she was for a time hardly able to make any other. It was fast coming upon her now. Let Sir Peregrine say what
