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It was not permitted to them to say a word
of abuse against Crosbie, as to whom they thought that no word of
condemnation could be sufficiently severe; and they were forced to
listen to such excuses for his conduct as Lily chose to manufacture,
never daring to point out how vain those excuses were.
Indeed, in those days Lily reigned as a queen at the Small House.
Ill-usage and illness together falling into her hands had given her
such power, that none of the other women were able to withstand it.
Nothing was said about it; but it was understood by them all, Jane
and the cook included, that Lily was for the time paramount. She was
a dear, gracious, loving, brave queen, and no one was anxious to
rebel;--only that those praises of Crosbie were so very bitter in the
ears of her subjects. The day was named soon enough, and the tidings
came down to Allington. On the fourteenth of February, Crosbie was
to be made a happy man. This was not known to the Dales till the
twelfth, and they would willingly have spared the knowledge then, had
it been possible to spare it.


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