When Doctor John sprang from his gig (the custom
of his daily visits had never been broken) she
could hardly wait until he tied his horse--poor Bess
had long since given out--to tell him the joyful
news.
He listened gravely, his face lighting up at her
happiness. He was glad for Jane and said so
frankly, but the situation did not please him. He at
heart really dreaded the effect of Lucy's companionship
on the woman he loved. Although it had been
years since he had seen her, he had followed her
career, especially since her marriage, with the greatest
interest and with the closest attention. He had
never forgotten, nor had he forgiven her long silence
of two years after her marriage, during which time
she had never written Jane a line, nor had he ever
ceased to remember Jane's unhappiness over it. Jane
had explained it all to him on the ground that Lucy
was offended because she had opposed the marriage,
but the doctor knew differently. Nor had he ceased
to remember the other letters which followed, and
how true a story they told of Lucy's daily life and
ambitions. He could almost recall the wording of
one of them. "My husband is too ill," it had said,
"to go south with me, and so I will run down to
Rome for a month or so, for I really need the
change.
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