Molly pumped up from the depths of her mind a few little trivialities which she had nearly forgotten; but she felt that they were anything but amusing, and so Mrs. Gibson seemed to feel them; for presently she said—

“I wish Cynthia was at home!” And Molly felt it as a reproach to her own dulness.

“Shall I write to her and ask her to come back?”

“Well, I’m not sure; I wish I knew a great many things. You’ve not heard anything of poor dear Osborne Hamley lately, have you?”

Remembering her father’s charge not to speak of Osborne’s health, Molly made no reply, nor was any needed, for Mrs. Gibson went on thinking aloud—

“You see, if Mr. Henderson has been as attentive as he was in the spring—and the chances about Roger—I shall be really grieved if anything happens to that young man, uncouth as he is; but it must be owned that Africa is not merely an unhealthy, it is a savage—and even in some parts a cannibal—country. I often think of all I’ve read of it in geography books, as I lie awake at night; and if Mr. Henderson is really becoming attached—— The future is hidden from us by infinite wisdom, Molly, or else I should like to know it; one would calculate one’s behaviour at the present time so much better, if one only knew what events were to come. But I think, on the whole, we had better not alarm Cynthia. If we had only known in time, we might have planned for her to have come down with Lord Cumnor and my lady.”

“Are they coming? Is Lady Cumnor well enough to travel?”

“Yes, to be sure; or else I should not have considered whether or no Cynthia could have come down with them. It would have sounded very well—more than respectable, and would have given her a position among that lawyer set in London.”

“Then Lady Cumnor is better?”

“Of course. I should have thought papa would have mentioned it to you; but, to be sure, he is always so scrupulously careful not to speak about his patients. Quite right too—quite right and delicate! Why, he hardly ever tells me how they are going on. Yes! the Earl and the Countess, and Lady Harriet and Lord and Lady Cuxhaven, and Lady Agnes; and I’ve ordered a new winter bonnet and a black satin cloak.”