Where was
the money to come from? She had learnt by personal experience what slow
work building up a practice was. It would be years and years before they
could hope for another such home. And sore and sorry as SHE might feel
at having to relinquish her pretty things, in Richard's case it would
mean a good deal more than that. To him the loss of them would be a real
misfortune, so used had he grown to luxury and comfort, so strongly did
the need of it run in his blood.
Worse still was the prospect of parting from relatives and friends. The
tears came at this, freely. John's children!--who would watch over them
when she was gone? How could she, from so far away, keep the promise she
had made to poor Jinny on her death-bed? She would have to give up the
baby of which she had grown so fond--give it back into Zara's
unmotherly hands. And never again of a Saturday would she fetch poor
little long-legged Trotty from school. She must say good-bye to one and
to all--to John, and Zara, and Jerry--and would know no more, at close
quarters, how they fared. When Jerry married there would be no one to
see to it that he chose the right girl. Then Ned and Polly--poor souls,
poor souls! What with the rapid increase of their family and Ned's
unsteadiness--he could not keep any job long because of it--they only
just contrived to make ends meet. How they would do it when she was not
there to lend a helping hand, she could not imagine. And outside her
brothers and sisters there was good Mrs.
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