of sumpter beasts, and bring my good daughter Talbot back with you as
fast as she and the babes may brook.' I made bold to say, 'And
Master Richard, your worship?' then he groaned somewhat, and said,
'If my son's ship be come in, he must do as her Grace's service
permits, but meantime he must spare us his wife, for she is sorely
needed here.' And he looked at the bed so as it would break your
heart to see, for since old Nurse Took hath been doited, there's not
been a wench about the house that can do a hand's turn for a sick
body."

Susan knew this was true, for her mother-in-law had been one of those
bustling, managing housewives, who prefer doing everything themselves
to training others, and she was appalled at the idea of the probable
desolation and helplessness of the bereaved household.

It was far too late to start that day, even had her husband been at
home, for the horses sent for her had to rest. The visitors would
fain have extracted some more particulars about the old squire's age,
his kindred to the great Earl, and the amount of estate to which her
husband had become heir. There were those among them who could not
understand Susan's genuine grief, and there were others whose
consolations were no less distressing to one of her reserved
character. She made brief answer that the squire was threescore and
fifteen years old, his wife nigh about his age; that her husband was
now their only child; that he was descended from a son of the great
Earl John, killed at the Bridge of Chatillon, that he held the estate
of Bridgefield in fief on tenure of military service to the head of
his family. She did not know how much it was worth by the year, but
she must pray the good ladies to excuse her, as she had many
preparations to make. Volunteers to assist her in packing her mails