"I know that nothing could exceed his desire to do you good, mamma; and when he came from the Admiralty, and had got news he thought would please you, it was all Mrs. Palmer could do to prevent him coming to tell you. He said you would not mind him, for he was only a shadow: he is always joking about his appearance."
"I am glad he did not come, for he might have joked about mine; and remember, I now tell you once for all that, unless Lord Rotheles should come up, I will not see any human being beside Mrs. Palmer and Georgiana, until—until I have grown more embonpoint; this is beside the subject. I want to know who actually paid the money, yesterday; was it the sailor?"
"I don't know, mamma; but most likely Mr. Palmer."
"Why not the sailor, if he were so much concerned? He must have had money in his pocket when he was setting out on a long journey."
"Yes, to be sure—I don't know—I can't tell, only I thought"
"What did you think? Why are you looking so like a fool?"
"I—I thought, mamma, Lord Meersbrook found the money, perhaps, when they were travelling."
