If she did not speak with Rebecca on the tender subject, she compensated herself with long and intimate conversations with Mrs.Blenkinsop, the housekeeper, who dropped some hints to the lady's-maid, who may have cursorily mentioned the matter to the cook, who carried the news, I have no doubt, to all the tradesmen, so that Mr.Jos's marriage was now talked of by a very considerable number of persons in the Russell Square world.
It was, of course, Mrs.Sedley's opinion that her son would demean himself by a marriage with an artist's daughter.

"But, lor', Ma'am," ejaculated Mrs.Blenkinsop, "we was only grocers when we married Mr.
S., who was a stock-broker's clerk, and we hadn't five hundred pounds among us, and we're rich enough now." And Amelia was entirely of this opinion, to which, gradually, the good-natured Mrs.Sedley was brought.
Mr.Sedley was neutral.

"Let Jos marry whom he likes," he said; "it's no affair of mine.

This girl has no fortune; no more had Mrs.Sedley.
She seems good-humoured and clever, and will keep him in order, perhaps.

Better she, my dear, than a black Mrs.Sedley, and a dozen of mahogany grandchildren." So that everything seemed to smile upon Rebecca's fortunes.