He started away to secure his book, and
the two girls came in. Albinia could hardly believe it late enough
for their return, but they accounted for having come rather earlier
by saying that Gilbert had been making himself so ridiculous when he
had come at last, that grandmamma had sent him home.
'At last!' said Albinia. 'He set off only ten minutes after you, as
soon as he found that papa was not coming.'
'All I know,' said Lucy, 'is, that he did not come till half-past
nine, and said he had come from home.'
'And where can he be now?'
'Gone to bed,' growled Sophy.
'I don't know what he has been doing,' said Lucy, who since the
suspicion of favouritism, had seemed to find especial pleasure in
bringing forward her brother's faults; 'but he came in laughing like
a plough-boy, and talking perfect nonsense. And when Aunt Maria
spoke to him, he answered quite rudely, that he wasn't going to be
questioned and called to order, he had enough of petticoat government
at home.'
'No,' said Sophy, breaking in with ungracious reluctance, as if
against her will conveying some comfort to her step-mother for the
sake of truth, 'what he said was, that if he bore with petticoat
government at home, it was because Mrs. Kendal was pretty and kind,
and didn't torment him out of his life for nothing, and what he stood
from her, he would not stand from any other woman.'
'But, Sophy, I am sure he did say Mrs.
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