Nor was it without an effort to oppose Mr. Sheldon's authority that Miss
Paget succumbed to the force of circumstances. She appealed to his wife.
"Dear Mrs. Sheldon, I beg you not to suffer Lotta's removal," she said
earnestly. "You do not know how ill she is--nor can Mr. Sheldon know, or
he would not take such a step. As her mother, your authority is superior
to his; you have but to say that she shall not be taken from this house
in her present state of prostration and sickness."
"I have only to say!" cried Georgy, piteously. "O Diana, how can you say
such a thing? What would be Mr. Sheldon's feelings if I were to stand up
against him, and declare that Charlotte should not be moved? And he so
anxious too, and so clever. I'm sure his conduct about my poor dear Lotta
is positively beautiful. I never saw such anxiety. Why, he has grown ten
years older in his looks since the beginning of her illness. People go on
about stepfather this, and stepfather that, until a poor young widow is
almost frightened to marry again. But I don't believe a real father ever
was more thoughtful or more careful about a real daughter than Philip has
been about Lotta. And what a poor return it would be if I were to oppose
him now, when he says that the removal will be for Charlotte's good, and
that she will be near clever doctors--if she should require clever
doctors! You don't know how experienced he is, and how thoughtful.
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