At Christmas Miss Oriel had submitted to be exiled, in order that she might carry Mary away from the presence of the young Bashaw, an arrangement by which all the winter festivities of the poor doctor had been thoroughly sacrificed; and now it began to be said that some similar plan for the summer must be suggested.
It must not be supposed that any direction to this effect was conveyed either to Mary or to the doctor.

The suggestion came from them, and was mentioned only to Patience.

But Patience, as a matter of course, told Beatrice, and Beatrice told her mother, somewhat triumphantly, hoping thereby to convince the she-dragon of Mary's innocence.

Alas! she-dragons are not easily convinced of the innocence of any one.

Lady Arabella quite coincided in the propriety of Mary's being sent off,--whither she never inquired,--in order that the coast might be clear for "poor Frank;" but she did not a whit the more abstain from talking of the wicked intrigues of those Thornes.
As it turned out, Mary's absence caused her to talk all the more.
The Boxall Hill property, including the house and furniture, had been left to the contractor's son; it being understood that the property would not be at present in his own hands, but that he might inhabit the house if he chose to do so.