The Five-Minute Marriage Read Online Free PDF Page B

the way back? ”
    “ In course I did! When I was young we thought nothing of a six - or seven-mile walk. It is not right in you to nag and reproach me, Philadelphia, ” said her mother, with more spirit. “ Particularly since it was you that I had in mind when I made the expedition. ”
    “ Me, Mamma? What can you possibly mean? ”
    “ I cannot tell you that in front of these strangers, ” said Mrs. Carteret with dignity.
    “ Strangers? Lawk, and she ’ s known us any time these twelve years! ” exclaimed Jenny indignantly, but Anne whispered,
    “ Hush, Sister, can ’ t you see Missus is not herself! Come, Ma ’ am, let me and Miss Delphie help you up the stairs, the best thing you can do is get into a hot bath directly, and I ’ ve a pair of kettles on a-boiling this minute. Indeed you should not have run out like that, Mrs. Carteret, frightening your poor daughter so dreadfully, and putting us all in a tweak! ”
    Somehow, very slowly, poor Mrs. Carteret, now trembling with weakness, was helped up the stairs, and the Baggott sisters then tactfully left her alone with her daughter, but promising to run up directly if required. When they were alone Mrs. Carteret fairly burst into tears.
    “ Why do you all scold me so, ” she sobbed, “ when I only did it for the best? ”
    “ Did what , Mamma? What did you do? ”
    “ Why, went to St. Paul ’ s to pray for a husband for you, naturally! ”
    Delphie hardly knew whether to laugh or weep. What a hopeless quest! What a piteous pilgrimage! At least it had not involved Mrs. Carteret in any outrageous, wild expense, but it seemed highly probable that she might have caught her death from wet and exhaustion.
    “ That was a very kind, thoughtful thing to do, ” Delphie said, giving her parent a warm and loving embrace, and then proceeding to whisk off the sodden shawl, “ but, you know, I don ’ t want a husband, I would rather by far remain with you. ”
    “ Of course you want a husband, ” said Mrs. Carteret, shivering miserably as the draggled silk was peeled away from her shoulders. “ For if you had a good one, we could all live together and he would support us! ”
    And she beamed into her daughter ’ s face as Delphie guided her faltering steps toward the mustard bath Miss Anne had made ready, which stood steaming in front of the fire.

 
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    It was hardly to be expected that Mrs. Carteret ’ s expedition to St. Paul ’ s, though undertaken from the highest of motives, should not lead to a recurrence of her lung trouble; in fact she was laid upon her bed for more than a week with a sharp attack, complicated by pleurisy, and for many hours her life was despaired of. But by one means or another, partly due to some innate strength in her, partly through Philadelphia ’ s careful tireless, tender nursing (though herself afflicted with a heavy cold), Mrs. Carteret scraped through.
    “ She will not achieve full health for a long time yet, though, ” said the doctor, on the fourth day, when she had passed the crisis. He glanced about him. “ These rooms are not at all suitable for her—no sun, no healthful circulation of air. She should be in the country—preferably in a warm climate. Rome would be excellent — or the South of France. ”
    Delphie looked at him in exhausted silence. How could she possibly achieve such a removal? His own bill was still owing, and likely to remain so for some time.
    “ Well—well—do what you can for her, ” he said in a kind tone, understanding the situation. “ An airing in the park, as often as possible, in a week or so, when it is warmer. And perhaps she might go to stay on some farm? Do not be worrying too much, Miss Carteret—or we shall have you falling sick. And don ’ t fret about my bill—that can wait. ”
    Delphie, with her usual resilience, had recovered from her cold, but she was pale and heavy-eyed from long watching at night, and considerably thinner than she had been before her mother ’ s