Murchison and Mrs. Kingdom.
"And 'ow are you, Bella?" inquired Mrs. Kybird with kindly condescension.
"Is Mrs. Kingdom at 'ome?"
She pushed her way past the astonished Bella and, followed by Mr. Hardy,
entered the room. Mrs. Kingdom, with a red spot on each cheek, rose to
receive them.
"I ought to 'ave come before," said Mrs. Kybird, subsiding thankfully
into a chair, "but I'm such a bad walker. I 'ope I see you well."
"We are very well, thank you," said Mrs. Kingdom, stiffly.
"That's right," said her visitor, cordially; "what a blessing 'ealth is.
What should we do without it, I wonder?"
She leaned back in her chair and shook her head at the prospect. There
was an awkward lull, and in the offended gaze of Miss Nugent Mr. Hardy
saw only too plainly that he was held responsible for the appearance of
the unwelcome visitor.
"I was coming to see you," he said, leaving his chair and taking one near
her, "I met your brother coming along, and he introduced me to Mrs.
Kybird and her daughter and suggested we should come together."
Miss Nugent received the information with a civil bow, and renewed
her conversation with Dr. Murchison, whose face showed such a keen
appreciation of the situation that Hardy had some difficulty in masking
his feelings.
"They're a long time a-coming," said Mrs. Kybird, smiling archly; "but
there, when young people are keeping company they forget everything and
everybody.
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