Cromarty's
mind?"
"She sent for me under the pretense of being feverish; said she
had a headache, and so on. Her pulse was all right, and I told her
at once I did not think there was much the matter with her; but
I recommended her to keep out of the sun for two days. Then she
begun a chat about the station. She knows that, somehow or other,
I generally hear all that is going on. I wondered what was coming,
till she said casually, 'Do you know what arrangement Major Hannay
has made as to his niece for the races?' I said, of course, that
the Hunters were coming over to stay. I could see at once that
her spirit was instantly relieved of a heavy burden, but she only
said, 'Of course, then, that settles the question. I had intended
to send across to her this morning, to ask if she would like a seat
in my carriage; having no lady with her, she could not very well
have gone to the races alone. Naturally, I should have been very
pleased to have had her with us. However, as Mrs. Hunter will be
staying at the Major's, and will act as her chaperon, the matter
is settled.'"
"Well, I think it was very kind of her thinking of it," Isobel
said, "and I don't think it is nice of you, Doctor, to say that it
was an evident relief to her when she found I had someone else to
take care of me. Why should it have been a relief?"
"I have no doubt it has weighed on her mind for the last fortnight,"
the Doctor said; "she must have seen that as you were freshly
joined, and the only unmarried girl in the regiment, except her
own daughters, it was only the proper thing she should offer you
a seat in her carriage.
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