"No,"said Mr.Openshaw."Norah shall take care of the old lady as long as she lives;and,after that,she shall either come and live with us,or,if she likes it better,she shall have a provision for life--for your sake,missus.No one who has been good to you or the child shall go unrewarded.But even the little one will be better for some fresh stuff about her.Get her a bright,sensible girl as a nurse:one who won't go rubbing her with calf's-foot jelly as Norah does;wasting good stuff outside that ought to go in,but will follow doctors'directions;which,as you must see pretty clearly by this time,Norah won't;because they give the poor little wench pain.Now,I'm not above being nesh for other folks myself.I can stand a good blow,and never change colour;but,set me in the operating-room in the infirmary,and I turn as sick as a girl.Yet,if need were,I would hold the little wench on my knees while she screeched with pain,if it were to do her poor back good.Nay,nay,wench!keep your white looks for the time when it comes--I don't say it ever will.But this I know,Norah will spare the child and cheat the doctor if she can.Now,I say,give the bairn a year or two's chance,and then,when the pack of doctors have done their best--and,maybe,the old lady has gone--we'll have Norah back,or do better for her."The pack of doctors could do no good to little Ailsie.She was beyond their power.But her father (for so he insisted on being called,and also on Alice's no longer retaining the appellation of Mama,but becoming henceforward Mother),by his healthy cheerfulness of manner,his clear decision of purpose,his odd turns and quirks of humour,added to his real strong love for the helpless little girl,infused a new element of brightness and confidence into her life;and,though her back remained the same,her general health was strengthened,and Alice--never going beyond a smile herself--had the pleasure of seeing her child taught to laugh.
As for Alice's own life,it was happier than it had ever been.Mr.
Openshaw required no demonstration,no expressions of affection from her.Indeed,these would rather have disgusted him.Alice could love deeply,but could not talk about it.The perpetual requirement of loving words,looks,and caresses,and misconstruing their absence into absence of love,had been the great trial of her former married life.Now,all went on clear and straight,under the guidance of her husband's strong sense,warm heart,and powerful will.Year by year their worldly prosperity increased.At Mrs.
Wilson's death,Norah came back to them,as nurse to the newly-born little Edwin;into which post she was not installed without a pretty strong oration on the part of the proud and happy father;who declared that if he found out that Norah ever tried to screen the boy by a falsehood,or to make him nesh either in body or mind,she should go that very day.Norah and Mr.Openshaw were not on the most thoroughly cordial terms;neither of them fully recognising or appreciating the other's best qualities.
This was the previous history of the Lancashire family who had now removed to London,and had come to occupy the House.
They had been there about a year,when Mr.Openshaw suddenly informed his wife that he had determined to heal long-standing feuds,and had asked his uncle and aunt Chadwick to come and pay them a visit and see London.Mrs.Openshaw had never seen this uncle and aunt of her husband's.Years before she had married him,there had been a quarrel.All she knew was,that Mr.Chadwick was a small manufacturer in a country town in South Lancashire.She was extremely pleased that the breach was to be healed,and began making preparations to render their visit pleasant.
They arrived at last.Going to see London was such an event to them,that Mrs.Chadwick had made all new linen fresh for the occasion-from night-caps downwards;and,as for gowns,ribbons,and collars,she might have been going into the wilds of Canada where never a shop is,so large was her stock.A fortnight before the day of her departure for London,she had formally called to take leave of all her acquaintance;saying she should need all the intermediate time for packing up.It was like a second wedding in her imagination;and,to complete the resemblance which an entirely new wardrobe made between the two events,her husband brought her back from Manchester,on the last market-day before they set off,a gorgeous pearl and amethyst brooch,saying,"Lunnon should see that Lancashire folks knew a handsome thing when they saw it."For some time after Mr.and Mrs.Chadwick arrived at the Openshaws',there was no opportunity for wearing this brooch;but at length they obtained an order to see Buckingham Palace,and the spirit of loyalty demanded that Mrs.Chadwick should wear her best clothes in visiting the abode of her sovereign.On her return,she hastily changed her dress;for Mr.Openshaw had planned that they should go to Richmond,drink tea and return by moonlight.Accordingly,about five o'clock,Mr.and Mrs.Openshaw and Mr.and Mrs.Chadwick set off.
The housemaid and cook sate below,Norah hardly knew where.She was always engrossed in the nursery,in tending her two children,and in sitting by the restless,excitable Ailsie till she fell asleep.
Bye-and-bye,the housemaid Bessy tapped gently at the door.Norah went to her,and they spoke in whispers.
"Nurse!there's some one down-stairs wants you.""Wants me!Who is it?"
"A gentleman--"
"A gentleman?Nonsense!"
