The Squire, with a brow all clouds, observed that when children
were bow-legged it was entirely the fault of their mothers.
'Ah, yes,' said the Rector, with a sigh. 'Mrs. Leonard is a
slatternly woman--no doubt of that. But when you've said that you
haven't cured the child.'
The Squire ungraciously said he would consider it; and the Rector,
knowing well that he would get no more at a first assault, let the
child alone, and concentrated on the topic of Elizabeth.
'An extraordinarily capable creature,' he said warmly, 'and a good
heart besides. You were indeed lucky to find her, and you are very
wise to give her her head. The village folk can't say enough about
her.'
The Squire felt his mouth twitching. With some horses, is there any
choice--but Hobson's--as to 'giving' them their head?
'Yes, she's clever,' he said grudgingly.
'And it was only to-day,' pursued the Rector, 'that I heard her
story from a lady, a friend of my wife's, who's been spending Sunday
with us. She seems to have met Miss Bremerton and her family at
Richmond a year or so ago, where everybody who knew them had a great
respect for them.
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