Lady Anne Newcome, his mother, was terribly
agitated by the news, which was abruptly broken to her, of the flight of
her daughter-in-law and her son's danger. Now she thought of flying to
Newcome to nurse him; and then feared lest she should be ill received by
the invalid--indeed, ordered by Sir Barnes to go home, and not to bother
him. So at home Lady Anne remained, where the thoughts of the sufferings
she had already undergone in that house, of Sir Barnes's cruel behaviour
to her at her last visit, which he had abruptly requested her to shorten,
of the happy days which she had passed as mistress of that house and wife
of the defunct Sir Brian; the sight of that departed angel's picture in
the dining-room and wheel-chair in the gallery; the recollection of
little Barnes as a cherub of a child in that very gallery, and pulled out
of the fire by a nurse in the second year of his age, when he was all
that a fond mother could wish--these incidents and reminiscences so
agitated Lady Anne Newcome, that she, for her part, went off in a series
of hysterical fits, and acted as one distraught: her second daughter
screamed in sympathy with her and Miss Newcome had to take the command of
the whole of this demented household, hysterical mamma and sister,
mutineering servants, and shrieking abandoned nursery, and bring young
people and old to peace and quiet.
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