headroitlychangedthesubjectbeforePhilipgotexcited.SoonHarrietreturned,havinggivenherlessoningeography.Irmawenttobedearly,andwastuckedupbyhergrandmother.Thenthetwoladiesworkedandplayedcards.Philipreadabook.Andsotheyallsettleddowntotheirquiet,profitableexistence,andcontinueditwithoutinterruptionthroughthewinter.
ItwasnownearlytenyearssinceCharleshadfalleninlovewithLiliaTheobaldbecauseshewaspretty,andduringthattimeMrs.Herritonhadhardlyknownamoment’srest.Forsixmonthssheschemedtopreventthematch,andwhenithadtakenplacesheturnedtoanothertask—thesupervisionofherdaughter-in-law.Liliamustbepushedthroughlifewithoutbringingdiscreditonthefamilyintowhichshehadmarried.ShewasaidedbyCharles,byherdaughterHarriet,and,assoonashewasoldenough,bythecleveroneofthefamily,Philip.ThebirthofIrmamadethingsstillmoredifficult.ButfortunatelyoldMrs.Theobald,whohadattemptedinterference,begantobreakup.ItwasanefforttohertoleaveWhitby,andMrs.Herritondiscouragedtheeffortasfaraspossible.Thatcuriousduelwhichisfoughtovereverybabywasfoughtanddecidedearly.Irmabelongedtoherfather’sfamily,nottohermother’s.
Charlesdied,andthestrugglerecommenced.Liliatriedtoassertherself,andsaidthatsheshouldgototakecareofMrs.Theobald.ItrequiredallMrs.Herriton’skindnesstopreventher.AhousewasfinallytakenforheratSawston,andthereforthreeyearsshelivedwithIrma,continuallysubjecttotherefininginfluencesofherlatehusband’sfamily.
DuringoneofherrareYorkshirevisitstroublebeganagain.LiliaconfidedtoafriendthatshelikedaMr.Kingcroftextremely,butthatshewasnotexactlyengagedtohim.ThenewscameroundtoMrs.Herriton,whoatoncewrote,beggingforinformation,andpointingoutthatLiliamusteitherbeengagedornot,sincenointermediatestateexisted.Itwasagoodletter,andflurriedLiliaextremely.SheleftMr.Kingcroftwithouteventhepressureofarescue-party.ShecriedagreatdealonherreturntoSawston,andsaidshewasverysorry.Mrs.Herritontooktheopportunityofspeakingmoreseriouslyaboutthedutiesofwidowhoodandmotherhoodthanshehadeverdonebefore.Butsomehowthingsneverwenteasilyafter.LiliawouldnotsettledowninherplaceamongSawstonmatrons.Shewasabadhousekeeper,alwaysinthethroesofsomedomesticcrisis,whichMrs.Herriton,whokeptherservantsforyears,hadtostepacrossandadjust.SheletIrmastopawayfromschoolforinsufficientreasons,andsheallowedhertowearrings.Shelearnttobicycle,forthepur