Sprig Muslin

‘Yes, I did sir, but indeed I never meant to! Pray do not let yourself be angry with me! I mean, not yet, while you are so weak!’

‘I remember telling you not to wave that pistol about,’ remarked Sir Gareth, in a reminiscent voice. ‘What happened after that?’

‘Well, I – I shot you, sir, but don’t talk about it now! The doctor says you must be perfectly quiet.’

‘How long have I been here?’

‘Four days, sir – and I think I had better fetch Aunt Hester!’ said Hildebrand nervously.

Sir Gareth, left to make what he could of this, found it beyond his comprehension, and closed his eyes again.

When he awoke for the second time, he remembered that he had been talking to Hildebrand, and looked towards the window. But Hildebrand was no longer there. Lady Hester was seated in the windsor chair, reading a book. Sir Gareth had thought that he was better, but he now suspected that he was delirious. There was a sandy kitten curled up in her lap, too, and he knew that kitten. Hester had nothing to do with Joseph, so probably he was still floating in a muddled dream. ‘Besides,’ he said aloud, ‘she doesn’t wear a cap. How absurd!’

She looked up quickly, and rose, setting Joseph down. ‘Hildebrand came running to tell me that you had waked up, q

uite yourself again, but when I reached you, you were so soundly asleep that I almost doubted him,’ she said, taking his hand, and feeling his pulse. ‘Oh, that is so much better! Do you feel more the thing?’

His fingers closed weakly round her hand. ‘But this is fantastic!’ he said. ‘Are you sure I am not dreaming?’

‘Quite sure,’ she replied, smiling mistily down at him. ‘I daresay you may be wondering how I come to be here, but it is not at all important, and there is no need for you to tease yourself about it just now.’

He studied the offending cap frowningly. ‘Why do you wear that thing?’

‘Well, I think I have reached the age when perhaps I should.’

‘Nonsense! I wish you will take it off.’

‘Should you mind very much if I don’t?’ she said apologetically. ‘There is something so very respectable about a cap, you know.’

That made him smile. ‘Must you look respectable?’

‘Yes, indeed I must. Now, my dear friend, I am going to call Chicklade that he may bring up the broth Mrs Chicklade has been keeping hot for you, the instant you should wake up.’

‘Who is Chicklade?’

‘How stupid of me! He is the landlord, an excellent man, quite unlike his wife, who is really the most tiresome creature. I shall let him come into the room, because he has been so very obliging, and, besides that, I want him to raise you while I slip another pillow behind you. I shall warn him he must not encourage you to talk, but, in case you should say something to undo us all, will you remember that Hildebrand is your nephew?’

‘Either I am dreaming, or you must have run mad suddenly,’ said Sir Gareth. ‘Hildebrand was the name of the young idiot who shot me. That I do remember!’

‘Yes, so careless of him! I daresay you will feel that you ought to give him a scold, and perhaps I should have done so, when he told me about it. But he was in such distress, and so truly repentant, that I could see it was not at all necessary. I don’t mean to dictate to you, but if you should be meaning to give him up to justice, which he quite expects, poor boy, I wish you won’t! He has been helping me to nurse you, and running all the errands with such readiness that it would be quite dreadfully ungrateful to send him to prison. Besides, it would appear very odd if you were to do so, when everyone thinks he is your nephew.’

‘Is that why he became my nephew?’ he asked, looking amused.

‘Yes, and I need scarcely tell you that it was Amanda’s notion. She said that Hildebrand held you up for a jest, and had never meant to shoot you, which, indeed, was perfectly true. I own, Amanda is very naughty, but one cannot help admiring her! She is never at a loss!’

‘Where is Amanda?’ he interrupted.

‘She has walked over to Great Staughton with Hildebrand, to purchase some things for me there.’

‘Do you mean to tell me she hasn’t run away?’ he said incredulously.

‘Oh, no!’

‘How in the world did you contrive to keep her here?’

‘Oh, I didn’t! I am sure I could not. She would not think of running away now. Besides she is very well-satisfied to be here, for it is the tiniest village, where I shouldn’t think her grandfather would ever find her. You shall see her when you are a little stronger. Oh, I forgot to mention that she is your niece! She and Hildebrand are cousins.’

‘I seem to have been acquiring an alarming number of new relatives,’ he remarked.