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Old Lady Mary - A Story of the Seen and the Unseen by Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant
page 16 of 85 (18%)
Mary, who was so blooming and sweet in the shadow of the old, did not
decrease. But the recollection of the bit of paper in the secret drawer
of the cabinet, fortified his old client against all his attacks. She had
intended it only as a jest, with which some day or other to confound him,
and show how much wiser she was than he supposed. It became quite a
pleasant subject of thought to her, at which she laughed to herself. Some
day, when she had a suitable moment, she would order him to come with all
his formalities, and then produce her bit of paper, and turn the laugh
against him. But oddly, the very existence of that little document kept
her indifferent even to the laugh. It was too much trouble; she only
smiled at him, and took no more notice, amused to think how astonished
he would be,--when, if ever, he found it out.

It happened, however, that one day in the early winter the wind changed
when Lady Mary was out for her drive; at least they all vowed the wind
changed. It was in the south, that genial quarter, when she set out, but
turned about in some uncomfortable way, and was a keen northeaster when
she came back. And in the moment of stepping from the carriage, she
caught a chill. It was the coachman's fault, Jervis said, who allowed the
horses to make a step forward when Lady Mary was getting out, and kept
her exposed, standing on the step of the carriage, while he pulled them
up; and it was Jervis's fault, the footman said, who was not clever
enough to get her lady out, or even to throw a shawl round her when she
perceived how the weather had changed. It is always some one's fault, or
some unforeseen, unprecedented change, that does it at the last. Lady
Mary was not accustomed to be ill, and did not bear it with her usual
grace. She was a little impatient at first, and thought they were making
an unnecessary fuss. But then there passed a few uncomfortable feverish
days, when she began to look forward to the doctor's visit as the only
thing there was any comfort in. Afterwards she passed a night of a very
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