Bremmil stayed at home turning over the dead baby's
frocks and crying into the empty cradle. She did not care to do anything else.
But some eight dear, affectionate lady-friends explained the situation at
length to her in case she should miss the cream of it. Mrs. Bremmil listened
quietly, and thanked them for their good offices. She was not as clever as
Mrs. Hauksbee, but she was no fool. She kept her own counsel, and did not
speak to Bremmil of what she had heard. This is worth remembering. Speaking
to, or crying over, a husband never did any good yet.
When Bremmil was at home, which was not often, he was more affectionate than
usual; and that showed his hand. The affection was forced partly to soothe his
own conscience and partly to soothe Mrs. Bremmil. It failed in both regards.
Then "the A.-D.-C. in Waiting was commanded by Their Excellencies, Lord and
Lady Lytton, to invite Mr. and Mrs. Cusack-Bremmil to Peterhoff on July 26th
at 9.30 P. M."--"Dancing" in the bottom-left-hand corner.
"I can't go," said Mrs. Bremmil, "it is too soon after poor little Florrie--
but it need not stop you, Tom."
She meant what she said then, and Bremmil said that he would go just to put in
an appearance. Here he spoke the thing which was not; and Mrs.
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