matter, child?" she said. "Are you vexed at having to missa week or ten days of these precious lessons? Any other girl would likethe idea of a visit to town, even in winter. I will take you about, asmuch as I can."
"I do like it, indeed, aunt," said Claudia earnestly; "and for somethings I am really not sorry to miss this last little bit at MissLloyd's."
"You are ahead of all the Wortherham misses, I suppose, and afraid ofhurting their feelings, or something of that sort, I suppose," said LadyMildred, with a sort of half-grudging admiration. "My dear Claudia, youare your father's own daughter--Quixotic is no word for you. You won'tfind that kind of thing answer in the world, I assure you."
But Claudia laughed brightly.
"I think the world is a much nicer place than most people allow, AuntMildred."
"You have seen such a great deal of it," Lady Mildred replied. "I amnot sure but that you have seen enough of the Wortherham corner of it,however. I think you are beyond Miss Lloyd's institution. What youshould have now is some first-rate teaching in France and Germany."
Claudia's eyes glistened.
"Of course I should like that very much," she said; "but I do think theteaching very good at Miss Lloyd's--it has been already such a test tome of what I really do know."
The telegram with a favourable reply about the rooms came that morning.The very next day saw Lady Mildred and Claudia installed in them.Claudia had never been in London before for more than a day or two at atime, and in spite of the dreary winter weather she was full of delight.Even the slight fog, which of course greeted them on their awaking thenext morning, could not depress her spirits.
"I have always wanted so to see a real London fog," she said withsatisfaction, when her aunt called her back from her station at thewindow.
"But, my dear, this is not a real fog," said Lady Mildred laughing. "Itis foggy, certainly; but a real London fog, as you call it, would ratherastonish you."
"I hope we shall have one then, while we are in town," said Claudia,naively.
And Lady Mildred was still laughing at her when Mr Miller wasannounced, and Claudia was dismissed.
"What a very charming girl," began the old gentleman, as she left theroom. Everybody always did say something of the kind about Claudia, butin the present case the remark struck Lady Mildred as rather forced. Itseemed to her that Mr Miller was deferring the evil moment of somecommunication he had to make to her. "Is she a relation of yours--or--or perhaps of Mr Osbert's?" he went on with a sudden gleam of interest.
"Of Mr Osbert's!" repeated Lady Mildred, contemptuously. "What are youthinking of, my good Mr Miller? You know all about Mr Osbert'srelations as well as or better than I do. You know he had none nearenough to count except General Osbert and his family; and General Osberthas no daughter."
"No; but there are relations of Mr Osbert's, and not so very distantones either, living within a short drive of you," said Mr Miller,rather snappishly. He did not like Lady Mildred's tone. "I hadoccasion several times to remind Mr Osbert of this, though possiblyyour ladyship's attention was never drawn to it."
"You mean those Waldrons, I suppose," said Lady Mildred. "I do not knowtheir exact connection with the Osberts. I know my husband did not likethem; he had some trouble with old Mrs Waldron when he first came toSilverthorns, I remember his telling me. Some interference or someunreasonable claim she made. But why should we waste time in speakingabout them just now, Mr Miller; you have some important matters to talkover with me, and I have been making myself quite uneasy with wonderingwhat they could be."
She expected some courteous and smiling expression of regret andreassurance from the lawyer; but to her surprise his face remained verygrave.
"Yes; I have some most important matters to discuss with you," he said;"I have been foreseeing the present state of things for some time.There has been--I have had bad news from Cannes. You are aware thatGeneral Osbert and his family--a very small family now--usually spendthe winters there, though I think you never have any directcommunication with them?"
"Never," said Lady Mildred; "though they keep themselves informed of_my_ state of health, no doubt. My death will be a matter of somemoment to them." But Mr Miller took no notice of this causticobservation.
"As I was saying," he went on, "I have had bad news from Cannes. Theelder son--the only one, one might almost say, for the other one ishopelessly consumptive--had a bad accident last week; he was thrown fromhis horse. Yesterday evening came a telegram announcing his death."
Lady Mildred started.
"But he was married," she said hastily.
"Yes; he has been married several years to a cousin on his mother'sside, but he has left no children; he never had any. General Osbert isterribly broken down by this, and he is already an old man. It ispractically the end of the family. The other son cannot live manymonths."
"And I am an old woman," said Lady Mildred: "I may die any day. Don'tbe afraid to speak out, Mr Miller. You are thinking of what willbecome of the property if all General Osbert's family thus comes to anend."
"Yes," said Mr Miller quietly, "I am. Not what _will_ become of it,but what _should_. I have much to explain to you, which I do not thinkyou have ever thoroughly understood, indeed I have not always thoroughlyunderstood it myself. There were some things wrongly done when theproperty last changed hands--not so much illegally as unfairly andunkindly."
"You mean to say when my husband's branch of it came into possession,"said Lady Mildred hastily. "I will listen to no blame of _him_, MrMiller."
Mr Miller smiled a little.
"I do not ask you to do so, Lady Mildred," he said. "Mr Osbert wasmisinformed and prejudiced; and there was foolish pride on the otherside--reluctance to explain things properly. I blame the old squire'ssister, the late Mrs Waldron, for this, though she was an admirablewoman. If you will allow me, I will go over the whole with you, andexplain exactly the present position of things."
Lady Mildred was closeted with Mr Miller for a long time that morning.When he at last left and Claudia rejoined her, the girl saw that she wasgrave and thoughtful, but not restless or uneasy.
"Mr Miller had melancholy news to give me, Claudia," she said; "myhusband's nephew, General Osbert's son, is dead. It is very, very sadfor them." Claudia's bright face shadowed over.
"Have they no other children?"
"It is not `they'--the old man is a widower. Yes; he has one other son,but he is frightfully delicate," and Lady Mildred sighed. "I have agood deal on my mind, my dear. I don't quite see what to do. Whatshould you say to our going abroad; I may have to see the General onbusiness matters."
"I should like it, of course," said Claudia; "especially if--pleasedon't think me selfish--if I could go on with my lessons."
"Oh, you tiresome child! You have lessons on the brain: yes, of courseyou would go on with them, and learn more than at Miss Lloyd's. No, Iam not vexed with you; it is right and necessary that you should feel asyou do. I wonder, by the bye, how that little fellow is--the littleWaldron boy. I hope his adventure has done him no lasting harm; he didlook so very thin and delicate. Perhaps the hearing of thoseunfortunate people's troubles has made me think of him again."
"Might I write to his sister to ask how he is, Aunt Mildred?" saidClaudia. She would have spoken eagerly, for she felt so, but she knewthat with Lady Mildred it was best to be calm.
Rather to her surprise the response was almost cordial.
"Yes; I have no objection. It would seem only natural after our havinghad him with us. Tell the girl I should like to hear that his exposurein the snow has done him no harm."
"Thank you, aunt; I will write at once," said Claudia, flushing withpleasure.
"What do you thank me for, my dear?" said Lady Mildred, with a rathercurious smile. "It is rather I that should thank you for writing theletter for me."
But Claudia saw that she was not vexed, though she could not quiteunderstand her.
"Aunt Mildred is rather incomprehensi
ble sometimes," she said toherself; "but it is no use minding; she is so very good and kind."
For it was not by any means Claudia's way to worry or perplex herselfwith useless puzzles or wonderings; her heart and mind were too full ofpleasanter and more profitable things.
She was not able, much as she wished to do so, to write to Charlottethat day. For she had to go out with her aunt, to write some notes tofriends for her, and various other small pieces of business to attend towhich made it evening before she had any leisure; and in the eveningLady