incommoded by the uproar in which she lived, and had even been seen
careering about the nursery, or running about the garden, in a way
that Grace and Rachel thought would tire a strong woman. As to a
tete-a-tete with her, it was never secured by anything short of
Rachel's strong will, for the children were always with her, and she
went to bed, or at any rate to her own room, when they did, and she
was so perfectly able to play and laugh with them that her cousins
scarcely thought her sufficiently depressed, and comparing her with
what their own mother had been after ten months' widowhood, agreed
that after all "she had been very young, and Sir Stephen very old,
and perhaps too much must not be expected of her."

"The grand passion of her life is yet to come," said Rachel.

"I hope not," said Grace.

"You may be certain of that," said Rachel. "Feminine women always
have it one time or other in their lives; only superior ones are
exempt. But I hope I may have influence enough to carry her past it,
and prevent her taking any step that might be injurious to the
children."




CHAPTER II



RACHEL'S DISCIPLINE