Thus it came about that the two streams of gossip--one emanating in
all innocence from Maria Coombe, the other having its origin in the
conversation overheard between Eliot and Brett--met and mingled together
and were ultimately poured into the ears of Miss Caroline, busily engaged
in parochial visitation. An evil fatality appointed that the first person
she subsequently encountered should be Mrs. Carberry, the M.F.H.'s wife,
with whom, in a flutter of shocked excitement, she promptly shared the
dreadful story she had heard. This, of course, carried then gossip into
another stratum of society altogether.
"I can hardly believe it's true! I'm sur_prised_!" twittered Miss Caroline.
"Although, of course, Miss Lovell is certainly rather unconventional, I've
always looked upon her as quite _nice_. But to spend a night--like that--at
a hotel--" Words failed her, and she had to rely upon an unusual pinkness
of her complexion to convey adequately to Mrs. Carberry the scandalised
depth of her feelings.
"Perhaps I'm not so surprised as you are," returned the M.F.H.'s wife. "I
never cared for the girl. After all, she was merely a companion-help."
"Companion-chauffeuse," corrected Miss Caroline diffidently.
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