Vimpany she added the remarkable detail that the man
whom she had seen on the Thursday morning apparently dead, whose actual
poisoning she thought she had witnessed, was reported on the Saturday
to have walked out of the cottage, carrying his things, if he had any,
and proposing to make his way to London in order to find out his old
nurse. "Make what you can out of that," she said. "For my own part, I
understand nothing."
In the letter which she wrote to Mr. Mountjoy she added a petition that
he would send her money to bring her home. This, she said, her mistress
she knew would willingly defray.
She posted these letters on Tuesday, and waited for the answers.
Mrs. Vimpany wrote back by return post.
"My dear Fanny," she said, "I have read your letter with the greatest
interest. I am not only afraid that some villainy is afloat, but I am
perfectly sure of it. One can only hope and pray that her ladyship may
be kept out of its influence. You will be pleased to hear that Mr.
Mountjoy is better. As soon as he was sufficiently recovered to stand
the shock of violent emotion, I put Lady Harry's letter into his hands.
It was well that I had kept it from him, for he fell into such a
violence of grief and indignation that I thought he would have had a
serious relapse.
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